On theSea-bij'ds and Waders ofthePacific Coast of Guatemala. 187 



XIX. — The Sea-birds and Waders of the Pacific Coast of Guate- 

 mala. By Osbert Salvin^ M.A., F.L.S.^ &c. 



In a previous Number of this Journal (Ibis, 1864, p. 372) I 

 gave some account of the Sea-birds of British Honduras ; fol- 

 lowing up the subject, I now propose to do the same for those 

 of the Pacific Coast of Guatemala, combining with them a 

 notice of such Waders as I observed, together with a few notes 

 of what befell me in those out-of-the-way parts. 



In the month of September 1862, Mr. Robert Owen and I, 

 then travelling in company, found ourselves at Retaluleu, a 

 town on the lowlands of the Pacific slope of the Cordillera. 

 We had ridden there from QuezaltenangOj a large town in the 

 Altos, and the capital of a considerable district, all the corn- 

 growing and sheep-producing highlands. The descent of 7000 

 feet to the coast- country, as it is commonly called, though still 

 a long way from the sea, is all accomplished in a distance of 

 about forty miles. We made the journey more with a view of 

 exploring for some future expedition than with the hope of 

 doing much at that time of year — the height of the rainy season. 

 While staying at Retaluleu I heard accounts, which gave such 

 glowing prospects of collecting fish from the lagoons of the 

 coast, and of obtaining a number of birds I had heard of, but 

 not seen, that, making all due allowance for exaggeration, I 

 still thought I could not do better than turn my steps thither 

 on the first opportunity, and at a more favourable season. 



On the 8th of January 1863, I reached the port of San Jose 

 de Guatemala to take a passage in the barque ' Vicuna,' which 

 was going to Champerico, the " port " of that part of the coast 

 I wished to visit, to take in a cargo of sugar and cofl"ee. I was 

 fortunate in meeting with this means of reaching my destination, 

 as it enabled me to take a barrel of spirit, and other heavy things, 

 that would otherwise have been troublesome had I travelled 

 by land. 



I spent several days in San Jose, and passed the time shooting 

 along the beach and about the lagoons ; but as all the birds I 

 met with occurred again at my next station, it will not be worth 

 while to mention them here. On the 15th we left San Jose, — 



