Cr1seny 
LITTLE SANDPIPER. 
TRINGA PUSILLA, WILS. 
PLATE CCCXX. Mate anp FEMALE. 
BEroreE proceeding to detail my observations on the habits of this 
humble but extremely interesting bird, I deem it necessary to inform 
you that I disclaim as species belonging to the United States, or even 
to any part of North America, the following, which however are given 
in the Synopsis of the Prince of Mustenano, and in the work of my 
generous friend Tuomas Nutratt, viz., Tringa platyrhincha of 'Tem- 
minck, 7’. Temminckii of Leister, 7. minuta of Leister, T. minuta of 
Tremmincx, and 7. pusilla of Becustr1n. This opinion of mine I di- 
vulged to the Prince of Musienano in London, and he has on this 
account omitted these species in his recently published list. The extreme 
confusion that exists with respect to these species, and many others of the 
same tribe, is in my opinion caused solely by the anxiety of authors to 
discover or invent new species, often founding distinctions on slight diffe- 
rences in the length of bills, tarsi, or toes. Now, Reader, if in such large 
species as the Grus Americana, for example, the young has been palmed 
on the world of science as a distinct species for nearly a century past, 
without any other kind of reason or proof than that obtained from 
mere dried skins, can we be surprised that in birds so small as the 
present, opportunities should have occurred of committing errors. 
My opinion, which I do not present to you without due consideration, 
is, that we have in the United States only the diminutive species 
badly figured by Wrtson, and almost as carelessly described by that 
wonderful man. To enter upon a long discussion as to the identity 
of the present bird with any of the small Tringas enumerated 
by European authors, would be to me quite as irksome as it would 
prove unprofitable to you, for there scarcely exists a single descrip- 
tion of these birds sufficiently accurate to enable one to decide with 
certainty. All are as nearly as possible of the same size and colour, 
excepting in those deviations dependent upon age, and the different 
states of plumage. But in the most intimately allied species there 
