190 Mr. 0. Salvin on the Sea-birds and Waders 



the interior. There is some risk in procuring salt ; a heavy 

 shower washes a considerable portion of the saline particles out 

 of the mud, so that it is no longer fit for the purpose. Still it 

 is said to be a profitable undertaking ; and several persons living 

 in Retaluleu are reputed wealthy, from the salt-works they own. 

 The lagoon of Chiapam I visited most frequently, being about 

 half a mile from Champerico. The mayor-domo who had charge 

 of the salt-works and fisheries, was uncle to the owner ; and Tio 

 Lencho, as he was usually called, did all that he could to assist 

 me, by lending me a canoe and an Indian, or mozo, whenever I 

 required one. Finding it better to be nearer my work, I moved 

 all my things to his rancho. 



This lagoon, when I visited it, was a tidal one. The bar had 

 been cut through during the previous October, and had not again 

 closed, though I heard afterwards that the outlet had silted up. 

 At low water every sandbank would be covered with Gulls, Terns^ 

 and Waders. Of the former I obtained specimens, and saw 

 quantities of Larus atricilla, and also a few immature birds of 

 the White-headed Gull {Larus heermanni, Bp.) in the brown 

 Skua-like plumage it at first assumes. Hooded Gulls {Larus 

 cucullatus, Br.) did not frequent the lagoons. Of Terns there 

 were numbers — the flock consisting principally of Cabot's 

 Tern {Thalasseus acuflavidus, Cabot), the American repre- 

 sentative of our English Sandwich-Tern, and the Royal Tern 

 {T. regia, Gambel). I also saw occasionally Gull-billed Terns 

 {Gelochelidon anglica, M.ont.), identical with the scarce British, but 

 commoner European, species which occasionally visits our shores 

 (Ibis, 1864, p. 389). This last species does not congregate in 

 any numbers, two or three at most being all that flew in company. 

 The Long-billed {Numenius longirostris, Wils.) and Hudsonian 

 Curlews (iV. hudsonicus, Lath.) were both there — the former being 

 scarce, but the latter in quantities. Godwits {Limosafedoa, Ord) 

 were also very abundant, and Willets {Symphemia semipalmata, 

 Hartl.). All these used generally to be observed in one flock, 

 with a pair of Oyster-catchers {Hamatopus palliatus, Temm.) 

 feeding in their vicinity. Grey Plovers {Squatarola helvetica, Cuv.) 

 were occasionally seen, their unmistakeable black axillary fea- 

 thers enabling one to distinguish the species at a distance. 



