The Zoologist — July, 1874. 4055 



Could you kindly tell me if there is such a species as T. stagnatilis, 

 and if it has occurred here before ? I have no work on European 

 birds. I will try to get more information if it is worth looking 

 after. The bird is in the hands of the person who shot it. 



Yours most truly, 



George Roberts, 



Mr. Edson's note enclosed to Mr. Roberts is as follows: — 



"The Marsh Sandpiper {Totanus stagnatilis). 

 "This species, which is closely allied to the green sandpiper, the 

 redshank, &c., is a native of Northern Europe, where it frequents 

 the borders of rivers, lakes and marshes, whence in the autumn it 

 migrates southwards, pursuing its course through the eastern pro- 

 vinces to the Mediterranean, but does not frequent the maritime 

 coasts of the ocean. It is abundant in Asia, and specimens killed 

 in winter plumage have been received, according to Temrainck, from 

 the isles of Timor, Sunda and New Guinea. The beak is long, weak 

 and awl-shaped, and its legs are elongated and slender. In summer 

 its upper plumage is brown, with irregular black dashes; the under 

 parts while, with brown specks on the throat and breast; tail 

 striped diagonally with brown bands. In winter the upper surface 

 is of a nearly uniform ashy gray, the under parts white ; legs 

 olive-green. Length about nine inches." 



Synonyms. 

 " Totanus stagnatilis, Bechst. Naiurg. Deut. vol. iv. p. 261 — 

 Scolopax totanus, Limi. Syst. Nat. Edit. 12, p. 245, sp. 12. 

 Mais point le S. totanus de Gmel.; et surtout celui de Lath., 

 qui sont les jeunes de mon Chevalier arlequin. — Le petit Chevalier 

 aux pieds verts. Cm. Reg. Anim. vol. i. p. 493— La Barge grise, 

 Buff. Ois. seulemeut sa pi. enl. 876— Teich wasserlaiifer, Meyer, 

 Tasschenb. vol. ii. p. 376. Bechst. Tasschenh. vol. ii. p. 392, t. n. 11. 

 Naum. Vog. 1. 18, fig. 24, representation tres e-mdiCier—Temminck, 

 Manuel (TOrnilhologie, vol. ii. p. 648. 



Additional Synonyms. 



" Ajoutez aux synonymes. Atlas du Manuel, pi. Wihog.—Roux, 



Orn. Proveng. vol. ii. tab. 295, le male en plumage des noces — Der 



Deutsche teichurferlaufer, Brehm, Vog. Deuts. p. 644 — Naum. 



Naturg. Deuts. Neue Ausg. tab. 202, dans les trois livrees 



