14 MAB8E 8ANDPIPEB. 



■wliicli was not seen either by the author of the report or the editor 

 of the periodical in which it appeared, has been wrongly identified. If 

 it has been preserved, I shall not be surprised if it proves to be a 

 Green Sandpiper, Totanus ochropus. This bird visits us regularly in 

 spring and autumn, and is occasionally met with by snipe shooters 

 in January. Its partiality for marsh dykes, which is well known to 

 those who are familiar with it, may in this instance possibly have 

 suggested a new name." 



In regard to the synonymy of this species, Mr. Harting has identified 

 it with the Totanus tenuirostris of Horsfield, (see "Ibis," 1874, p. 174,) 

 and he has no doubt also that it is the Totanus lathami of Gray and 

 Hardwicke, and Totanus horsfieldi of Blyth.* 



The male and female in the breeding plumage have the top of the 

 head and neck ashy, with longitudinal grey and black streaks; scap- 

 ulars and wing coverts ashy brown, with black streaks, which are 

 longitudinal and in the form of a spear-head along the feather shaft, 

 and are larger on the scapulars and long tertials; primaries dark 

 brown, the shaft of the first, like that of the Whimbrel, white; 

 secondaries lighter brown; rump, throat, abdomen, flanks, under tail 

 coverts, white, more or less spotted on the crop and flanks with greyish 

 brown. Tail white, with the middle feathers transversely barred in 

 zigzag with brown, the end of the two central ones having also a 

 ground of light brown, the outer tail feathers edged with two lines 

 of grey brown on their outer webs. Bill black; legs and feet olive 

 green; iris brown. 



In winter the upper parts are grey, each feather margined with 

 white; forehead, chin, the whole of the under parts, and rump pure 

 white; tail feathers white, rayed with brown; bill blackish; legs pale 

 olive green. 



The young before the first moult have the upper parts dark brown, 

 with the feathers fringed with yellowish, and the longest transverse 

 markings on the wing coverts dark brown; inferior parts white, marked 

 with small brown spots on the neck, crop, and cheeks; primaries 

 brown, tipped with whitish; bill brown; legs greenish ash-colour. 



My figure and description are taken from a female bird in summer 

 plumage from Malta, sent me by Mr. Harting. 



It has also been figured by Bufibn, pi. enl. 876; Roux, Orn. 

 Prov., pi. 295, (male;) Bouteille, Ornith. du Daup., pi. 55, f. 3; Gould, 

 Birds of Europe, pi. 314; Dresser, Birds of Europe. 



The e^^ is figured from a specimen in my own collection, which 

 was taken in South Russia by Herr Glitsch. 



* See the list of synonyms at the head of this article. 



