. THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 299 



probably occurs there in suitable localities, for I obtained it at 

 Acheen, North Sumatra/'' All our three specimens were killed 

 in the first week iu September. 



893.— Tringoides hypoleucos, Lin. (38.) 



From Preparis to Galatea Bay, the common sandpiper was 

 the one bird that, wander where one might along the coast, 

 it was impossible to avoid seeing. Davison says : — " This is cer- 

 tainly the most common of all the shore birds that occur at the 

 Andamans and Nicobars ; it frequents the sea shore, salt water 

 creeks, fresh water streams, in fact there is scarcely a little 

 puddle about the place where it canuot be found. I have seen it 

 in small parties, but it is usually found singly or in pairs. At 

 night it roosts in small parties among the mangroves or on 

 some branch over-hanging the water. Very favorite resorts at 

 night for this bird, Strepsilas interpres, &c, are the boats that 

 are anchored some little distance from the shore, and here they 

 may be seen seated in a row along the gunwale. It had not 

 left on the 12th of May, and appeared as numerous as ever." 



We have, however, no specimen killed later than the middle 

 of April, and then the first specimen, killed apparently on the 

 return of the bird, was obtained on the 24th August. 



894.— Totanus canescens, Gm. (O.) 



Von Pelzeln tells us, Reise Novara, Vogel, p. 129, that "a 

 male of this species was killed on the 22nd March on the 

 swampy banks of the stream running into Ganges haven on 

 the north coast of the Great Nicobar." Neither we nor Davi- 

 son ever met with the bird, and it must be an excessively rare 

 straggler to either the Andamans or Nicobars. 



897.— Totanus calidris, Lin. (16.) 



I never saw this species at the Nicobars, but noticed it at 

 Macpherson's Straits. 



* Davison says : — " I have met with this bird only along the 

 salt water creeks and mangrove swamps. At hio-h water it 

 perches among the mangroves usually choosing some exposed 

 branch overhanging the water ; generally it is in small flocks, 

 occasionally singly or in pairs ; it is shy and difficult to 

 approach. I shot one on the 5th May among the mangroves 

 near Aberdeen, it was quite alone ; I did not observe any after 

 this date." These birds are quite common from the first week 

 in September to the beginning of May. Some of the Septem- 

 ber specimens are still nearly in full breeding plumage, but 



