344 RECENTLY-DESCRIBED SPECIES. 



Lower tail-coverts, vent, and thighs, brilliant chestnut ; each 

 feather of the former broadly tipped with white. 



Dimensions of dry skin (male): — Length, 7*3 inches ; wing, 

 45 ; tail, 2'7; bill from gape, 1*3 ; bill at front, 1*0; tarsus, "95 



This Nuthatch is remarkable for its great size as compared 

 with other members of the genus. 



In a small collection of birds made in January last in the 

 country traversed by the recent Karennee boundary expedi- 

 tion.— P. Z. S., 1876, 677. 



Limicola sibirica, Dresser. 



" Having lately had occasion to examine a large series of 

 specimens of our Broad-billed Sandpiper, Limicola platyrhyncha 

 (Temra.) in order to work out that species for the 'Birds of 

 Europe,' I found on examining examples from Siberia and 

 China that they differ constantly 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 sibirica. 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 Tringa minuta in fullest summer 

 dress. In Limicola platyrhyncha, 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 under parts in Limicola sibirica 

 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, the 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. 



With two exceptions, all the specimens of Limicola sibirica 

 I have examined were obtained in China by Mr. Swinhoe. The 

 following is a full description of a specimen in full summer 

 plumage from China : — 



" Capite et corpore supra pulchre ferrugitieis, plumis medialitw 

 nigris vix albido marginatis ; scapularibus dorso concoloribus, 

 alls sicut in Limicola Platyrhyncha pictis, sed pallidioribus et 

 grisescentioribus ; rectricibus centralibus nigris valde rufowargi m 



