BROWN LONGBEAK. J89 



as far north as the fur countries, even to the Arctic 

 Sea,* during the season of incubation; has been 

 killed six or seven times in this country, and was 

 first noticed, as a distinct species, by the indefati- 

 gable Montague. These have occurred chiefly in 

 the south, and no instances have been noticed of 

 its being met with either in Scotland or Ireland, 

 the most northern range recorded, being that of a 

 specimen killed near Carlisle, in the possession of 

 Mr. Heysham.t In Northern Europe^ it seems to be 

 likewise uncommon, occurring only as a straggler. 



The entire length of the bird will be about ten 

 or ten and a-half inches, of which the bill measures 

 from two and a -quarter to two and three-eights, 

 and in the whole form and appearance, it is not 

 unlike the Knot ( Triga canutus), to be afterwards 

 described. The plumage also has a good deal of 

 the character of that bird, in the summer state being 

 above broadly marked with black, cut into by nar- 

 row waves of brownish-yellow ; the rump and tail- 

 coverts are white, the tip of each feather marked 

 with a crescent- formed spot of black on the tip, and 

 barred diagonally with the same colour; the tail is 

 also white, slightly tinted with rufous, and with all 

 the feathers barred with black ; beneath, the throat, 

 neck, breast, and flanks, are orange-brown, each 

 feather tipped and barred with black, these colours 

 gradually disappear downwards, and the centre of 

 the belly, with the vent, are pure white. In the 

 winter, the plumage is of a greyish-brown on the 

 Mr. Richardson. * Yarrell. Nilson. 



