PECTORAL SANDPIPER. 83 



selected it and sent it up to me for inspection. Mr. 

 Audubon being then in London, I exhibited the bird to 

 him, as a good authority for American species, and he im- 

 mediately confirmed the previous notion that the bird was 

 an example of the Tringa pectoralis of America. 



Since the occurrence of Mr. Hoy's specimen, another 

 example of the Pectoral Sandpiper has been obtained in 

 this country, and a third bird seen. D. W. Mitchell, Esq., of 

 Penzance, sent me, in June, 1840, a coloured drawing of the 

 natural size, and a fully-detailed description, with measure- 

 ments, of a Sandpiper, shot by himself on the 7th of the 

 previous month, while the bird was resting on some sea- 

 weed within a few yards of the water, on the rocky shore 

 of Annet, one of the uninhabited islands at Scilly. On the 

 following day another example was seen, but became so 

 wild after an unsuccessful shot, that it took off to another 

 island, and escaped altogether. The close accordance of 

 the specimen obtained with the description of Tringa pec- 

 toralis in summer plumage in the Fourth Part of M. Tem- 

 minck's Manual, led Mr. Mitchell to a true conclusion as 

 to the species, and its novelty and interest in this country. 



Dr. Edward Clarke, who is well acquainted with British 

 birds, sent me word that an example of this rare Sandpiper 

 was killed near Hartlepool, in October, 1841. 



J. H. Gurney, Esq. has recorded the occurrence of 

 this species near Yarmouth, in September, 1853, and Mr. 

 R. Duncan shot one near Whitley, on the Northumbrian 

 coast, in June, 1855. 



This Sandpiper, like the last, was also unknown to 

 Wilson, and we must be indebted to later authorities for 

 our knowledge of its habits. Dr. Nuttall says, " This con- 

 spicuous species of Sandpiper, first detected by Mr. Say, is 

 by no means uncommon in various parts of the United 

 States ; migrating north, and perhaps west, to breed, as 



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