162 SCOLOPACID^E. 



are reminded of the genus Scolopax, or true snipe, as we like- 

 wise are in the brown and white banding of the head ; in 

 which latter respect it likewise resembles the whimprel (Nu- 

 menius ph&opus) ; except in the head and bill, the whole 

 bird is in form and plumage an ordinary-looking Tringa." 

 Habitat Northern Europe. 



SPECIES 152 THE BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 



Tringa rufescens. Viellot. 

 Secasseau rousset. Temm. 



THIS species, only obtained in a single instance, was shot by 

 Mr. John Hill upon the " slob," in the vicinity of the Pigeon 

 House Wall, Dublin. Having been preserved, it was presented 

 by that gentleman to the Dublin Natural History Society's 

 Museum, in which collection it is now preserved. It is an 

 immature bird in the plumage of the first year. 



This very rare North American sandpiper has been noticed 

 as having occurred in eight instances in England, which is 

 somewhat curious, as we should expect the proportion to have 

 been procured in our island from its vicinity to the American 

 coast. 



Habitat North America. 



SPECIES 153 SCHINTZ'S SANDPIPER. 



Tringa Schintzii. Bonaparte. 

 Becasseau de Schintz. Temm. 



EQUALLY interesting as are the others from their rarity, we 

 have another North American species, supposed to have oc- 

 curred upon the Irish coast, respecting which we transcribe 

 the following notice of its occurrence from Mr. Thompson's 

 work : 



u There is a specimen of Tringa Schintzii in the Belfast 

 Museum, respecting which positive information cannot now 

 be obtained, but it is supposed to have been shot in the Bay 

 here, in consequence of having been preserved in a manner 

 peculiar to a taxidermist who set up a fresh ' sandpiper' (as 

 it is called in his book) for the collection on the 15th of April, 

 1836. All circumstances considered, that sandpiper is be- 

 lieved to have been the one in question. No Tringa was 

 1 mounted' by the same preserver from dried skins. I have 

 compared the specimen with the American one described by 

 Mr. Yarrell, and found identity in the species." 



This sandpiper, common along the coasts of North Ame- 



