PHEGOENIS. 



Calidris leucopterus {Gmel), Cuvier, Rhgne An. i. p. 526 (1829). 



Tringa pyrrhetrrea, Lichtenstein, Forster's Descr. Anim. It. Mar. Austr. p. 174 (1844). 



Prosobonia leucoptera [Gmel), Bonap. Compt. Rend. xxxi. p. 563 (1850). 



453 



Plates. — Lath. Gen. Hist. Birds, ix. pi. cliii. 

 Habits. — Undescribed. 

 Eggs. — Unknown. 



Literature. 



Forster's Short-winged Sandpiper, the White-winged Sandpiper of Latham, may be Specific 

 distinguished from its two short-winged allies by its unbarred underparts. 



Forster's Sandpiper is only known from the Society Islands, where it was obtained on Geographi- 

 one of Capt. Cook's Voyages (Forster's unpublished drawings in the British Museum, tfon.^^ ^^ "' 

 no. 120; Ellis's ditto, no. 65). It was found on the islands of Otaheite and Eimeo. It 

 has not been recorded by any recent traveller, and the only example known to exist is that 

 in the Leyden Museum. 



It has been suggested by some ornithologists that this bird belongs to the Rallidae Resembles 

 rather than to the Scolopacinse. It does unquestionably bear a superficial resemblance to 

 some of the Crakes, but it differs from them in all essential particulars. Its tarsus is long 

 and slender, so is its bill ; the nostrils are placed close to the base of the bill ; all the 

 tail-feathers except the two centre ones are barred ; and it has at least ten secondaries (in the 

 Rallidae eight appears to be the full number, exclusive of the tertials, which are coloured 

 like the wing-coverts). 



a Rail. 



