64 SCOLOPACID.E. 



but they are undoubtedly numerously disposed, but from 

 their very small size and hidling habits, are difficult to be 

 discovered, added to the almost impassable nature of the 

 swamps they frequent. There were several small colonies 

 of them in different parts of the extensive swamp at Fogs- 

 tuen ; I procured five specimens there, and might have 

 obtained as many more, had I desired it ; I also procured 

 one nest with four eggs in it. 



M. Schinz of Geneva, says, in his Fauna Helvetica, that 

 this Sandpiper has been taken in the vicinity of two or 

 three of the lakes of Switzerland, and that these captures 

 have always occurred in the month of August. M. Tem- 

 minck mentions that this species is found on several of 

 the islands of the Indian Archipelago, at Borneo, Sumatra, 

 and Timor, and he has been assured that it is also found 

 on the continent of India. 



The adult bird, in the breeding season, has the beak, 

 which is one inch and one sixteenth in length, dark brown 

 at the point, inclining to reddish brown at the base ; 

 irides brown ; from the base of the beak to the eye a dark 

 brown streak ; over that and the eye a white streak, with 

 a brown central longitudinal line ; top of the head brown- 

 ish black, slightly varied with greyish white, and tinged 

 with ferruginous ; inter-scapulars nearly black with rufous 

 edges ; scapulars, wing-coverts, lower part of the back, and 

 the tertials, black, the feathers having broad margins of 

 buffy white or rufous ; the primary and secondary quill- 

 feathers black ; the shafts white ; upper tail-coverts black 

 with rufous edges ; the two middle tail-feathers nearly 

 black, longer than the others, pointed and margined with 

 rufous ; the others ash grey, margined with buff colour ; 

 chin nearly white, with minute dark specks ; sides and 

 front of the neck, and the upper part of the breast greyish 



