674 MR. DRESSER ON A NEW SPECIES OF SANDPIPER. [June 20, 



8. On a new Species of Broadbilled Sandpiper. 

 By H. E. Dresser, F.Z.S. 



[Eeceived June 19, 1876.] 



Having lately had occasion to examine a large series of specimens 

 of our Broadbilled Sandpiper, Limicola platyrhyncha (Temm.), in 

 order to work out that species for the ' Birds of Europe,' I found on 

 examining examples from Siberia and China that they differ con- 

 stantly from our European bird in summer dress ; and as I find that 

 there are in the series I have examined no intermediate specimens 

 between these two forms, I think that the Eastern one, which has not 

 hitherto been described, should be separated from our western bird ; 

 and I propose to call it Limicola sihirica. It differs in the summer 

 plumage in having the feathers on the crown and entire upper parts 

 very broadly margined with bright rufous, so as to give this colour 

 extreme prominence, the upper parts being, in fact, similar in colour to 

 those of Trinya minuta in fullest summer dress. In Limicola platy- 

 rhyncha, on the other hand, the general coloration of the upper parts 

 is black, the margins to the feathers being narrow and white or 

 ochreous white, and the crown is very dark. The underparts in 

 Limicola sihirica are as in Limicola platyrhyncha, except that the 

 throat is less spotted, the chin and upper throat being quite unspotted. 

 In measurements I find no constant difference, as both species vary 

 somewhat inter se ; but, as a rule, ths eastern bird has the wing and 

 tarsus rather longer than in L. platyrhyncha. In the winter plumage 

 the two species cannot always with certainty be distinguished ; but, as 

 a rule, the eastern one appears to be a trifle paler than the European 

 bird. As it is hardly necessary to exhibit the large series of 

 specimens I have had for examination, I have brought three speci- 

 mens of Limicola sihirica in full summer plumage, which are all that 

 I have in that dress, and two in winter dress ; and for comparison I 

 have taken at random four examples of Limicola platyrhyncha in 

 summer plumage and two in winter plumage. With two exceptions, 

 all the specimens of Limicola sihirica I have examined were ob- 

 tained in China by Mr. Swinhoe. The following is a full description 

 of a specimen in full summer plumage from China. 



Limicola sibirica, sp. nov. 



Capite et corpore supra pulchre ferrvyineis, phimis medialiter ni- 

 yris vix alhido maryinatis ; scapu/arihus dorso concolorihus, alls 

 sicut in Limicola platyrhyncha pictis, sed pallidioribus et grise- 

 scentioribns ; rectricibvs centralibus niyris valdervfo maryinatis, 

 reliqnis yriseis vix albo maryinatis ; jronte et stria superciliari 

 albis ; capitis et colli lateribus dorso cotico/oribus sed mayis 

 griseo-albo notatis ; corpore subtus albo, mento immaculato, 

 gutture nigrofusco et ferrugineo guttuto. 



This species appears to breed in Northern Siberia, and to migrate 

 southward into China in the autumn. How far westward its range 



