252 



THE BLACK- WINGED STILT. 



Rimantopus meianopierus. 



PLATE XVIII. 



Charadrius himantopus, Penn., Mont., $c Hiraantopus 

 melanopterus of modern authors. Echasse a manteau 

 noir, Temm. Long-legged Plover, or Black-winged Stilt 

 of British authors. 



THIS bird Las been known as an occasional visi- 

 tant to Britain since the time of Sibbald. It has 

 occurred at rare intervals in the three kingdoms, 

 and seems to have been met with both in the low 

 fenny districts of England, and on the mountains 

 of Scotland, either singly, or, as in the case of 

 those mentioned in the History of Selborne, in 

 small flocks of five or six. Representing species, 

 closely allied, but distinct, have been discovered in 

 the other quarters of the world, and in New Hol- 

 land ; and, perhaps, have been sometimes taken for 

 the British bird, giving to it a range more extended 

 than it in reality has. On good authorities, however, 

 we have given to it India,* Java,t and Japan. J Mr. 

 Yarrell mentions, that the Zoological Society pos- 

 sess specimens from Trebizond ; and in the south of 

 * Colonel Sykes. f Dr. Horsfield. Temminck. 



