RUFF.— BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 237 



by my own notes, that this was in September 1843, and 

 that an adult male was shot near Eastbourne, on March 

 11th, 1840. 



Mr. Jeffery (p. n.) mentions one shot at Appledram, April 

 24th, 1861, another at Pagham Harbour, October 1863, 

 and that three were seen at Sidlesham, August 24th, 1864, 

 and one shot a day or two before at Pagham, two more in 

 1873 at the same harbour, and, lastly, two at Sidlesham, 

 March 2nd, 1887. In the 'Zoologist/ p. 4258, s. s., is re- 

 corded a Reeve, obtained near Eastbourne, on September 

 21st, 1874. 



Mr. Harting informs me that twenty years ago, when 

 Pagham Harbour was a paradise for shore birds in spring 

 and autumn, and for wildfowl in winter, he used often to 

 come across the Ruff and Reeve there in August and Sep- 

 tember. They were never in flocks, but in little parties of 

 five or six birds, and the males had then entirely lost their 

 frills. He never observed them there in spring, which 

 indicates that they returned northward at that season by a 

 diflferent route. This he observed to be the case also with 

 the Grey Phalarope. 



BUFF-BEEASTED SANDPIPER. 



Tringites rufescens. 



A VERY rare visitant to Sussex, being in fact a straggler 

 from N. America. According to Yarrell (B. B. vol. iv. 

 pp. 437-8) its summer haunts are in the Arctic portions of 

 the American continent, and its food consists of land and 

 marine insects, particularly grasshoppers. Mr. Dresser 

 found it in Mexico, and the birds were there very fat, and 



