NATURAL HISTORY. 151 



There are, therefore, grounds for hoping that this attractive 

 and rare British bird may annually adorn our gardens and woods^, 

 provided it be allowed to escape that persecution from the hands 

 of man which appears to be directed towards every visitor of 

 rarity and beauty, whether the ol^jei^ts of science be satisfied or 

 not. — The shrubberies at Trescoe Abbey would afford every facility 

 and attraction for the nidification of tliis bird.' 



In the autumn of last year, our county was favoured with a 

 visit from one of our rarest Sandpipers, and which was not rer 

 cognized as a British Bird until after Mr. Yarrell had completed 

 his " History of British Birds." A very good Figure of the bird, 

 which is called " Bertram's Sandpiper," may be seen in Mr. Yar- 

 rell's Supplement of his Birds. It bears a close resemblance to 

 the example which was captured in Mullion, I believe on Goonhilly 

 Downs, and which passed into, the hands of Dr. Bullmore, of Fal- 

 mouth, who sent a detailed description of it to " The Zoologist." — 

 The first capture of this species was made in Cambridgeshire, on 

 the 12th of December, 1854. This, and another in Warwickshire, 

 formed the only two instances of its occurrence m Great Britain, 

 and which entitled it to be included in the British Fauna. Its 

 true hal)itat appears to be the northern portions of North America, 

 and from Canada, throughout the United States, to Mexico, where 

 it is very common. One characteristic of the bird is the unusual 

 length of the tail, for a Sandpiper ; this feature gives the aspect 

 of the bird a great peculiarity, as it entirely alters the Sandpiper 

 contour. 



A1)out the first week in November last, another specimen of 

 the "Red-breasted Flycatcher" was captured at Scilly, making 

 two occurrences of this rare little bird at that place, and the third 

 instance of its appearance in the county ; and I am not aware that 

 any other county can claim this new addition to the British Fauna. 

 It will be unnecessary to give any detailed description of its 

 economy, dimensions, or plumage, as full particulars of the bird 

 were pu^blished after the first discovery of a specimen, at Constan- 

 tine.* It may, however, be v/ell to mention that the red breast is 

 entirely a seasonal assumption, in the same way as the carmine red 

 is put on, in spring and summer, by our common Linnet. 



* See 4:5th Annual Report of The Royal Institution of Cornwall, 1863» - 



