562 



8 



themselves in rows on the ropes that ran from stake to stake. The four specimens I brought 

 away are all acquiring the summer plumage." It doubtless occurs in Japan, as Temminck and 

 Schlegel say that they have seen it figured in a Japanese drawing. Southward it ranges very 

 far. Captain Beavan and Lord Walden both record it from the Andaman Islands ; and, according 

 to Finsch and Hartlaub (Beitr. Faun. Centralpolyn. p. 200), specimens are in the Leyden Museum 

 from Java and Banka, Timor, the Moluccas, Temate, Halmahera, Morotai, Ceram, and Celebes ; 

 Rosenberg obtained it in New Guinea; and Gould (B. of Austr. ii. p. 269) says that he never 

 saw it in Tasmania or Southern Australia, but most of the specimens from Raine's Islet and 

 other parts of Torres Straits were in breeding-dress ; during migration it is, he says, dispersed 

 over every part of the coasts of Southern Australia, the islands in Bass's Straits, and Tasmania, 

 all of which, as well as the Houtmann's Abrolhos, off the western coast, are visited by it. It has 

 been met with in New Zealand ; and Mr. Buller (B. of N. Zealand, p. 222) records the capture 

 of several specimens on Ninetymile Beach, in the Province of Canterbury, in winter plumage ; 

 and Captain Hutton informed him that he had seen a specimen, in full summer plumage, shot 

 in April. The expedition obtained it on the Marianne Islands and Stewart's Island in September 

 and October. Verreaux records it from New Caledonia, Gray from the New Hebrides and 

 Aneiteum, Peale from the Kingsmill group, Mathew Island, and the Viti Islands, Graffe from 

 the Samoa Islands, and Bloxham (I. c.) from the Sandwich Islands. 



On the American continent the distribution of this species is almost equally wide, as it is 

 found from the Hudson's-Bay Territory down to the southern portion of South America. 

 Captain Blackiston states (Ibis, 1863, p. 130) that he received several specimens from York 

 Factory, where he observed it in August ; and in the ' Fauna Bor.-Am.' Mr. Ross gives it as a 

 rare bird on the Mackenzie. On the east coast of North America I observed it on the shores of 

 the Bay of Fundy, where, however, it is rare. It is met with during the seasons of migration, or 

 in the winter, on the shores of eastern North America in tolerable numbers. Dr. Elliott Coues 

 says that in North Carolina it is very common during migration, and some winter there. In 

 May, he writes, "just before they leave, very perfect specimens may be procured. They begin 

 to return the last of August, and soon become abundant. Many of the old birds at this time 

 retain much of their spring attire, and are thus readily distinguished from the young." I met 

 with it in Texas ; and, as stated by me in ' The Ibis ' (1866, p. 34), " I found several birds of this 

 species quite close to the town of Galveston on the 26th of May, 1864 ; and on the beach to the 

 westward there was a good number of them. On my second visit to Galveston, in June, I saw a 

 few, but not so many as on the above-mentioned occasion." On the west coast it was met with 

 by Messrs. Dall and Bannister in Alaska, where, Mr. Dall says, it was not common at the mouth 

 of the Yukon ; and, according to Dr. Finsch, it was obtained at Amachnak, near Unalaschka, at 

 the end of August, by Von Kittlitz. Southward it is met with as far as Chili. As above stated, 

 I met with it in Texas. Mr. G. N. Lawrence says (Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. 1874, p. 308) 

 that it was obtained by Xantus on Rio Zacatula, in Mexico; Salvin states (Ibis, 1866, p. 198) 

 that it occurs on both coasts of Guatemala; Barclay records it from Ecuador, Schomburgk from 

 the east coast of Guiana, Burmeister from S ta Catharina, Darwin from Peru; specimens were 

 obtained on the Novara expedition, and are in the Leyden Museum, from Chili ; and Darwin 

 records it from the Galapagos. On the islands in the Atlantic it is recorded by Bryant from 



