276 FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 
209.—Machetes pugnax, Zin. (880). 
I obtained four specimens in the beginning of August, and 
observed others. They all show dark markings on the breast 
and flanks. 
209 a.—Tringa acuminata, Horsf. (883 bis.) 
I shot a single specimen, a male, in adult plumage, in Gilgit 
on the Ist August. It was flying about with a number of 
Machetes pugnax. It measured :—Length, 8-75 inches ; wing, 
5°25 ; tail, 2°5; tarsi, 1:3; culmen, 1:05. This is, I believe, the 
first notice of the occurrence of this species so far to the west- 
ward, or within Indian limits. It was first described by 
Horsfield from Java, in 1821, in the following terms :—“ Supra 
fuscus, plumis dorsalibus ferrugineo tectricibus griseo mar- 
ginatis; subtus albidus, pectore sublutescente, rectricibus acu- 
minatis.” It was afterwards figured by Gould in his “ Birds 
of Australia” under the name of Scheniclus australis. Swiu- 
hoe met with it in North China, where it was very abundant 
in August (Ibis, 1863, p. 412). He states that at the end of 
August it goes southward along the coast and returns in May. 
The measurements he gives are smaller than those of my 
specimen, viz. :—Length, 84 inches; wing, 4'9 ; tail, 2°3; tarsi, 
1:2 ; culmen, 1. 
In breeding plumage this species is easily distinguishable 
from T. alpina by the abdomen being pure white, sparingly 
spotted with light brown, whereas T. alpina has the whole 
abdomen dull black. 7’. acuminata also has the ground-colour 
of the upper breast rufous, with large dark-brown spots, while 
T. alpina has a faint rufous tinge in some specimens only, with 
small streaks. The best point of distinction is in the tail- 
feathers, all of which are pointed in 7. acuminata (whence the 
name), while in 7. alpina only the central ones are pointed. 
210.—Tringa subarquata, Giild. (882.) 
I shot three adult specimens, all females, on the 2nd and 
9th August. The entire underparts are rufous, with black 
markings in two out of the three specimens. One shot 
on the 4th September has completely assumed the winter 
plumage. 
211.—Tringa minuta, Leisl. (884.) 
I obtained two specimens in Gilgit in the middle of August. 
212.—Tringa temmincki, Leist. (885.) 
I obtained one specimen in July, and a great number in 
August. 
