4054 The Zoologist — July, 1874. 



principal month for noting its occurrences on the Continent, while 

 in England it has chosen rather to exhibit itself during the shorter 

 days at the very beginning of the year. It has been flushed from 

 among dead leaves on the ground, and in the vicinity of marshes or 

 water; perhaps from this circumstance, and also from a certain 

 peculiarity in its flight, it has been taken for a woodcock. Mr. 

 Tomes has observed that the form of the wing and the develop- 

 ment of the breast-bone indicate great powers of flight and essen- 

 tially migratory habits ; in this respect, singularly associated with 

 its terrestrial habits, it also resembles the woodcock. 



Its nest and eggs are entirely unknown, and, with the exception 

 of the few vague suggestions which I have cited, its migrations are 

 also yet to be discovered. 



In conclusion, I need only say that I shall at all times feel 

 grateful for any additions or emendations to these observations, 

 which I am well aware are too hastily collected to be very 



^'^"^P^^t^^- Edward Newman. 



Communications and Extracts concerning the Marsh Sandpiper 

 (Totanus stagnatilis of Bechstein). By Mr. Roberts, Mr. Edson 

 and Edward Newman. 



I HAVE received the communication printed below from Mr. 

 Roberts, the well-known naturalist, of Lofthouse, Wakefield, who 

 has so often contributed to the pages of the * Zoologist.' The 

 species is hitherto, as I suppose, unrecorded as British, but is not 

 very uulikely to occur here, being familiarly known on the Continent 

 of Europe. 



Mr. Roberts encloses in his communication a note from Mr. 

 Edson, the gentleman who obtained it, and I have added in a 

 separate note the synonyms from Temrainck. 



Mr. Roberts' note is as follows : — 



My dear Sir, Lofthouse, Wakefield, 13 March, 1874. 



Mr. Edson, of Malton, has sent me information of the 

 capture of a bird called the marsh sandpiper {Totanus stagnatilis). 

 I can find no mention of such a bird in your ' Dictionary' nor in 

 Macgillivray's ' Manual.' It must be a species new to the British 

 Isles. The bird was shot about the 8th of January. I have sent 

 you the description that Mr. Edson has enclosed in his letter. 



