and in its Neighbourhood in 1864. 61 



to be accidental; for at times they appear in great numbers, 

 becoming afterwards extremely scarce. 



I have met with only one species of Godwit, the Limosa me- 

 lanura, which abounds in March and April. Totani are pretty 

 numerous during the spring passage. Tetanus glottis is said to 

 stop the" winter in this neighbourhood : I have seen it in February ; 

 while I got a specimen of the Common Redshank [Gambetta 

 calidris) in March. In May a splendid specimen of the Spotted 

 Redshank [Erythroscelus fuscus) was brought to me alive ; it had 

 been netted with a lot of Stei-nce, and was in full summer dress. 

 Helodromas ochropus and Rhyacophilus glareola are common ; 

 while Tringoides hypoleucos abounds. Totanus stagnatilis is 

 much scarcer, and I only procured two specimens in April. 



The Stilt [Himantopu^ candiduSjCo^QA. here "Cavalier d^Italia^') 

 passes every year pretty regularly in May. I had the good for- 

 tune of seeing a flock of five of these curious birds, wading about 

 in a shallow pool at Bocca d'Arno : they took to the wing on my 

 approach, flying very swiftly, and uttering a clear bell-like sound. 

 The Avocet {Recurvij-ostra avocetta) is rather rarer; but every 

 year, during the spring, one or two are captured. 



The Ruff {Philomachus pugnaw) is exceedingly common during 

 March and April, but it never occurs in its summer dress ; now 

 and then, however, I have come across individuals with the change 

 coming on : the males invariably arrive before the females. 

 Sandpipers and true Tringas are not very common, and I have 

 found only a few species. Pelidna subarquata, in full nuptial 

 dress, is brought alive in large numbers to the market: it is 

 caught with nets, and thrives very well in captivity. I kept nine 

 or ten for about three months in a small enclosed space in the 

 garden, where they had a little pool of water ; I fed them on 

 bread and chopped meat, which they ate readily, and they were 

 brisk and active all the while I kept them, the males constantly 

 fighting together, just as the Ruffs do. 



With the Curlew- Sandpiper I got Limonites temmincki and 

 Actodromas minuta ; while, in May 1863, Professor Savi pro- 

 cured in a similar manner nine specimens of the rare Limicola 

 pygmcea, all in full summer plumage. 



I have met with the following species of Scolopacidce : — S. 



