195 



tliis species of Sandpiper in Australia. It is evi- 

 dently a great wanderer, for its true habitat is in 

 the northern portions of America, Canada, the 

 United States, and Mexico. Unlike most of their 

 tribe these birds appear to prefer running about 

 among the grass, feeding on beetles, and other 

 winged insects, seeds, &c., but are never met with on 

 the sea-shore. Their nest is a hollow scooped out 

 in the earth and loosely lined with grass. The eggs 

 are of a dull greyish yellow ground colour, with 

 numerous spots of light purple and reddish brown. 



SANDPIPEE, BROADBILLED. 



FLATBILLED SANDPIPER. 

 TEINGA PLATYBHYNCHUS, Temm. 



This bird is rather inferior in size to the Dunlin, 

 from which it may always be distinguished by the 

 peculiar flatness and breadth of the bill, as well 

 as by considerable difference in its plumage. It is 

 probably from its similarity to one or two closely 

 allied species that it often passes unnoticed. A 

 few specimens have been obtained in England, and 

 it is found in Italy, Germany, France, Scandinavia, 

 and India, though rarely in the last named country. 

 During the breeding season it is not uncommon in 

 Norway and Lapland. It is similar in its habits 

 to the other species of the genus, feeding on the 



