1748 The Zoologist— July, 1869. 



Ardeid.e. 



American Billern, Botaiirus leuliginosiis (.l/o///r/r,'M). — A siimmcr 

 migrant to Newfoundland, and the only species of llie heron family 

 that I met with. A pair of bitterns are generally found frequenting 

 the margins of wooded lakes and ponds iu the lowlands throughout 

 the summer, arriving early in May and departing again about the last 

 of September. Yarrell describes the legs and feel as " greenish brown ;" 

 they are, however, of a pretty yellow-green, but soon lose this colour 

 after death. The American billern makes a curious thumping noise, 

 very much resembling the noise made by fishermen when driving 

 oakum into the seams of their boats; hence probably arose its popular 

 name of" stake-driver" in the United States, and "corker" (? caulker) 

 in Newfoundland. 



Chauadrid.e. 



American Golden Plover, Charadrius virginicus, Borck. — Visits 

 Newfoundland abundantly in the autumnal migration, but very rarely, 

 if at all, in the vernal. 



Killdeer, ^gialitis vociferus (Linn.) — Not so common as the pre- 

 ceding, otherwise the remarks on that species are equally applicable 

 here. 



liiiig Plover, or Semipalmnted Plover, A. semipalraatus {Bon.) — 

 A summer migrant and breeds on the coast: this and the following 

 species arc called " beach birds." 



Piping Plover, A. melodus (Ord.) — Appeared to be a common 

 autumn migrant, congregating in large flocks. 



Greg Plover, or Blackbellied Plover, Squatarola helvetica {Linn.) — 

 Very common in the fall of the year, but I did not meet with it in 

 Spring: the plovers evidently take some other, and probably more 

 direct route than via Newfoundland to iheir breeding grounds in the 

 far north. 



H^MATOPODID^. 



Turnstone, Strepsilasinterpres (£///«.) — Abundant on the sea-shore 

 in the fall of the year, and generally so fat that the settlers have 

 bestowed on it the appropriate name of" fat oxen." 



Of the Recurvirostridae I did not meet wiih either Recurvirostra 

 americana, Gmelin, or Himautopus nigricollis, Vieillol, although both, 

 but more especially the former, may reasonably be expected to occur 

 periodically. 



