SCOLOPACIDJE. 351 



Dr. Bullmore considered the Greenshank not uncommon in the south 

 of Cornwall, to which county Mr. Kodd states that it is both a spring and 

 autumn visitor, occasionally remaining until the winter, and mentions 

 two sent to him from the Scilly Isles in December. Mr. Gatcombe has 

 recorded one shot at Wadebridge, September 29th, ISS-i (Zool. 1885, 

 p. 21). "We never saw a Greenshank in Somerset, and the only instance 

 we can mention is one recorded by Mr. Cecil Smith from Huntspill, 

 August 29th, 1884 (Zool. 1885, p. 66). 



The Greenshank occurs in Dorsetshire, sometimes far inland, according 

 to Mr. Mansel-Pleydell, but is somewhat scarce, and "• is never so common 

 as the Redshank," being seen singly or in pairs, and never in flocks. 

 The flesh of this Sandpiper is said to be excellent. It is a widely dis- 

 persed species, occurring in India, China, throughout Africa, &c., as well 

 as in the north of Europe. 



Red-breasted Snipe. Macrorhamplms griseus (Gm.). 



[Brown Snipe of Montagu.] 



An accidental visitor, of very rare occurrence. 



Col. Montagu, who first made this species known as a British bird, records, 

 under the name of " Brown Snipe," a male obtained on the coast of Devon 

 in October of some year about 1801, which was deposited in the British 

 Museum ; and Dr. E. Moore also mentions one which was in the collec- 

 tion of Mr. Drew, of Devonport (Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837, p. 321). A male 

 in winter plumage was shot in the parish of South Huish by Mr. Andrew 

 Gillard in the winter of 1855 ; it rose from a marsh like a Common 

 Snipe. This specimen passed into the hands of the Eev. G. S. Marsh, of 

 Sutton Benger, AVilts (H. N., Zool. 1857, p. 5791). One said to have been 

 killed at Hatherleigh was in Mr. Byne's collection, afterwards purchased 

 by Mr. Marsh-Dunn, of Teignmouth. 



The lied-breasted Snipe is another of those species of Limicolae 

 which have wandered to this kingdom from America, where it is abundant 

 as an autumn visitor in the United States, and nests in the Arctic 

 Regions, the only authentic eggs that are known having been taken 

 on the Anderson river. Like most of the shore-frequenting Sandpipers, 

 its red summer plumage is replaced in the autumn by a sober grey livorj-, 

 in which stage it has been met with three or four times in the south of 

 Devon. Wo know of no instance of its occuiTence in North Devon, bnt 

 are confident two strange Sandpipers we encountered one day upon the 

 sands of the Taw, and were unable to secure, belonged to this species. 

 Only one other example of the Red-breasted Snipe has been ol)(iuned in 

 the S.W. district, one shot on St. Mary's, one of the Scilly Isles, October 

 3rd, 1.S57. 



Altlunigh going hy the name of Rcd-breastcd Snipe, Ihis Itinl is more of 

 a Sandpiper than a Snipe, and occurs in large flocks in (lie autumn on the 

 sands and oozes of the coast in America, when numbers are shot by the 

 gunners, as its flesh is in high estimation. 



