SCHINTZ'S SANDPIPER LITTLE STINT. 163 



rica, only claims admission to the European Fauna from the 

 occurrence of a single specimen obtained in the south of Eng- 

 land. 



Habitat North America. 



SPECIES 154 THE LITTLE STINT. 



Tringa minuta. Leisl. 



Becasseau echasses. Temm. 



Least Sandpiper. 



THIS interesting little species occupies the same place amongst 

 the Waders the goldcrest holds with the Perchers, and the 

 storm petrel amongst the natatorial birds, being the most 

 minute in size of the entire order to which it belongs. 



Very unusual in its distribution, it occurs in a similar pro- 

 portion to the pigmy curlew, and like that species is found 

 along the north-eastern portion of the coast in greater num- 

 bers than in any other locality. 



In Dublin Bay the stint has come under our own observa- 

 tion on two occasions, once in 1850, when three were ob- 

 served along with an equal number of the handsomely marked 

 ring dotterel, searching for food upon some refuse mud re- 

 cently dredged from the river, all appearing to be feeding 

 upon insects generated by the heat of a strong September 

 sun. On another occasion two were observed at Rob's Wall, 

 near Malahide, both of which appeared even more diminutive 

 from the vicinity of a lordly black-backed gull, which, with 

 head imbedded in its shoulders, stood majestically in repose, 

 its dignity not unbending to admit even a look at those little 

 elf-like birds running around apparently in pursuit of sand- 

 flies. Described as being watchful and wary in its habits, a 

 male specimen in our collection was killed by a boatman 

 striking it with a stone, at the small island near the Drogheda 

 Railway, at Clontarf station. Another specimen, obtained 

 as early as the 10th of August, has not the slightest appear- 

 ance of the reddish brown distinguishing the breeding season, 

 but is in the light-gray plumage characteristic of winter. 



On the sea-shore at Newhaven, on the south-eastern ex- 

 tremity of England, we had the pleasure of observing a small 

 flock consisting of six birds, all feeding along the shingle, and 

 when disturbed uttering their peculiar call-notes. 



The name of the present species appears one familiarly 

 known to the old annalists, but from the great abundance of 

 the dunlin and the rarity of the stint, the former is doubtless 

 M 2 



