" No specimen of this bird is to be found in tbe British Museum or in that of the Jardin des Plantes at 

 Paris. Those who have had the opportunity of observing the habits of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, assert 

 that it frequents the mud-flats at the mouths of rivers and the sands of the sea-shore, where it consorts with 

 various species of Tringce, and obtains from the surface the abundant harvest of food which is always left by 

 a receding tide. Of its nidification nothing is known. 



" In the case of so rare a species, a list of the specimens which are at present known to exist will 

 doubtless be interesting to many. I have therefore been at some pains to collect the following 

 information : — 



"1. The type specimen of Linnaeus, locality unknown, but said (no doubt erroneously) to have been from 

 Surinam, was in the Museum at Upsala in 1860. (Journ. fur Orn., 1860, p. 290.) 



" 2. One from Edmonstone's Island, Saugur Sand, presented by Mr. Newcombe to the Museum of the 

 Asiatic Society at Calcutta in 1836. (Journ. As. Soc. Beng., vol. v. p. 127.) 



" 3. One met with in Arrakan, by Capt. Lloyd, in 1836. (Asiatic Researches, vol. xix. p. 71.) 



"4. One obtained in the Calcutta Bazaar, 1840. (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. xiii. 1844, p. 178.) 



"5. One from Saugur Island, mouth of the Ganges, in the Derby Museum at Liverpool. Purchased by 

 the late Earl of Derby from Mr. Leadbeater, about the year 1840. (Rev. Zool., 1842, p. 6.) 



" 6, 7. Two procured in 1846, at Amherst, in Tenasserim, by Mr. E. O'Ryley. (Cat. of Birds in Mus. 

 Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 270.) 



" 8-11. Three specimens in spirits, and one skin, sent by Mr. J. E. Bruce from Chittagong, 1856. (Journ. 

 Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xxv. p. 445.) 



" 12-23. Twelve killed at two shots (!) by Mr. Chapman in Chittagong (Journ. f. Orn., 1859, pp. 326, 327). 



" 24. One in summer plumage, obtained in Behring's Straits on one of the Arctic expeditions, under 

 Capt. Moore, in H.M.S. 'Plover' (Proc. Zool. Soc, 1859, p. 201)." This specimen was exhibited by Mr. 

 Sclater on behalf of the owner, Mr. John Barrow, F.R.S., at one of the Zoological Society's meetings in 

 1859 ; and Mr. Barrow has recently presented it, with the remainder of his collection, to the new Museum 

 at Oxford, where it may now be seen. I am not aware of the existence of any other example in this state 

 of plumage. 



For a full account of the bibliography of this singular bird, I must refer my readers to Mr. Harting's 

 valuable paper in < The Ibis ' for 1869, p. 426. 



In justice to the research bestowed upon the subject by this gentleman, I append his descriptions of the 

 appearance of the bird at the opposite seasons of winter and summer. 



" Adult In whiter. Bill black, longer than the head, flat, dilated considerably at the extremity in a 

 rhomboidal shape. Tongue broad and smooth. Forehead, cheeks, throat, and underparts pure white ; 

 crown, nape and sides of neck, back, wings, and upper tail-coverts dusky brown, each feather margined more 

 or less with pale grey. Wings long and pointed ; shafts of the primaries white ; first quill-feather the 

 longest. Tail short, rounded, consisting of twelve feathers, the two middle feathers the longest and darkest 

 in colour. Legs and toes black, moderately long, slender, three toes in front, one behind, margined along 

 the sides ; a slight membrane connecting the base of the middle and outer toe on each foot. Total length 

 6 inches ; bill 1 inch ; wing, from carpus, 37 ; tarsus 0-9. (Exempl. typ. in Mus. Upsal.) 



" Adult in summer (hitherto undescribed). Bill as above. Head, neck, breast, and back ferruginous ; 

 the feathers of the head, nape, and back with dark brown centres ; those of the throat and breast slightly 

 margined with white. Underparts, from the breast downwards, becoming gradually whiter towards the 

 tail. Primaries somewhat darker than in winter. Legs and toes black. (Exempl. in Mus. Acad. Oxon.)" 



The figures, which are of the size of life, represent the summer and winter plumage. 



