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well as the female. During a bright night they were to be found on the move, and often several 

 pairs were met with on the river-bank searching for food. In their stomachs I found remains of 

 aquatic insects. In measurements the male and female do not differ perceptibly, only the female 

 appears to have a longer bill. I have, however, observed that they vary in size, as also in the 

 length of the bill, which is probably owing to difference of age." 



Mr. Meves, who has carefully studied the present bird, has kindly sent us the accompanying 

 note : — 



" This peculiar Wader I would almost call the River-Sandpiper. I first observed it on 

 the 9th of July, on the river Onega, near Birythewa, and thence down the river, though not 

 numerously, to the town of Onega. They were on the small sandy islands overgrown with willow 

 bushes, or on the banks of the river, where, when I disturbed them, they tried with loud cries to 

 defend their young, which were probably concealed in the grass. Before I fired a shot a male 

 ran along in front of me, only a few paces off, among the willow bushes, and in its manner and 

 movements bore the greatest resemblance to the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleuca). The 

 note, however, was very different, musical, sometimes reminding one of that of the Greenshank 

 (Totanus glottis), sometimes of the Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), even at times of Picus 

 martius. 



" I only procured one young bird, not more than a couple of days old, which had ventured 

 out of its hiding-place, and I secured it. 



" I suppose that most of the young were already full-grown ; for when I visited the Dwina 

 islands, near Archangel, on the 24th of July, I observed small flocks of them on the shores of 

 these islands, seeking their food or wading in the water. They were, however, very shy. Those 

 I shot were remarkably fat, and their skins were very thin ; therefore I had great trouble in pre- 

 paring them. I saw the last of them at Cholmogory, on the 16th of August, soon after which I 

 left the Dwina. 



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

 variously placed in ornithological systems, arises probably from the fact of ornithologists having 

 placed more weight on the form of the bill &c. than on the general habits of the bird, its eggs, 

 and the plumage of the nestling. In these three latter respects it is a Totanus, and may be placed 

 between Totanus glottis and Actitis hypoleuca. The plumage of the nestling greatly resembles 

 that of Actitis 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 the downy young of the Limosw (L. melanura and 

 L. rufa) bear considerable resemblance to those of Numenius (N. phmopus and N. arquata), but 

 not the least to those of the Terek Sandpiper. The downy young of Totanus glareola, T. ochro- 

 pus, 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 

 {Scolopax major, S. gallinago, and S.gallinula) is also great, rust-brown being the general colour. 

 Their downy plumages approach those of the Tringce (T. alpina and T. maritina), Machetes 

 pugnax, &c. Degland and Gerbe say 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." 



