TEBEK SANDPIPER. 21 



note, however, was very different, musical, sometimes reminding one 

 of tliat of the Greenshank, sometimes of the B-ing Plover, even at 

 times of Picus martius." 



"1 only procured one young bird, not more than a couple of days 

 old, which had ventured out of its hiding place." 



",The reason why this wader has received so many and various 

 generic names, and been so variously placed in systems, arises 

 probably from the fact of more weight being attached to the form 

 of the bill than to its general habits, its egg, and the nestling 

 plumage. In these three latter it is a Totanus, and may be placed 

 between T. glottis and Actitis hypoleuca. The plumage of the nestling 

 greatly resembles that of A. hypoleuca, and, except for the two 

 connecting webs and the shorter down on the tail, would be difficult 

 to distinguish from it. The eggs also resemble those of Actitis 

 much more than those of Totanus. The eggs and downy young of 

 the LimoscB (L. melanura and L. rufaj bear considerable resemblance 

 to those of Numenius, (N. phceopus, N. arquata,) but not the least 

 to those of the 'Terek Sandpiper.' The downy young of T. glareola, 

 T. ocJiropus, T. calidris, T. fuscus, and T. glottis bear considerable 

 affinity to each other, the general colour being grey, with large 

 dark spots. The resemblance between the young of the Snipes, S. 

 major, S. gallinago, and S. gallinula is also great, rust brown being 

 the general colour. Their downy plumages approach those of T. 

 alpina, T. maritima, Machates pugnax, etc. Degland and Gerbe say 

 that the bill of this bird is nearly three times as long as the head; 

 and Fritsch states the same. This is not the case, as it is not quite 

 twice the length of the head." 



Mr. Swinhoe states ("Ibis," 1813, p. 324), that he could dis- 

 tinguish no difference in size between the sexes. 



The following details were taken by him from a freshly killed 

 male: — "Length 9,5 inches; wing 5.15, reaching to end of tail; 

 first quill longest; 0.3 longer than the tip of the tertiaries; tail %.%, 

 of twelve slightly graduated feathers, outer 0.25 shorter than centrals; 

 feet stretched backwards, slightly exceeding tail, say by 0.2. Bare 

 part of tibia 0.75; tarsi 1.15; middle toe 0.85, its claw 0.2. Legs 

 orange clay-colour; bill recurved from forehead to tip 1.9; from 

 gape 2.05; yellowish olive-brown at base and rictus, blackish-brown 

 on the vent. 



"Dissection. Intestine thick, 11 inches long; cescoid appendage 5 

 inches from anus, 0.5 long, and curved inwards at tip; coeca 0.75 

 from anus, 1.6 long. Stomach an irregular oval, 1 long by 6 broad. 

 Epithelium firmly fixed, containing dry mud and bits of small black 

 beetles." 



