A REMARKABLE SANDPIPER 217 



and white forms of a small heron* were seen to- 

 gether on a smaU islet, and lastly, at the mouth 

 of a river at Tautira, some miles from Papeete, 

 a single sandpiperf was met with. 



Tahiti at one time was the home of a handsome 

 sandpiper;]: so aberrant as to be placed in a genus 

 by itself. The bird was discovered by Captain 

 Cook, and the only specimen of it now in existence 

 is in the Leyden Museum. Dr. Bowdler Sharpe 

 has lately described, from an old coloured figure, 

 a second species of the genus from the neighbouring 

 island of Eimeo. There is, of course, a chance 

 that the Prosobonia may yet be re-discovered on 

 Tahiti, or on one of the neighbouring islands, 

 for the group has been by no means thoroughly 

 explored. 



We paid several visits to the barrier-reef, where 

 the water was so clear that we could see every- 

 thing as in a glass tank. There were many large 

 holothurians, one of which on being captured 

 ejected an example of the long silvery fish which 

 has been described as hving in these " sea-slugs." 



The coral was covered in many places with sea- 

 urchins, which were possessed of spines three or 

 four inches in length, so that when walking on the 

 reef great care had to be taken to prevent a nasty 

 wound. 



One evening we watched some natives spearing 



'retta sacra. f Totanus incanua. 



% Prosobonia leucoptera. 



