SANDPIPER. 271 



insects, arid worms ; common throughout the south of Russia, and 

 Siberia. Supposed to breed in the Arctic Flats of the last ; found 

 also in France, and Switzerland ; but never many together. Is now 

 and then seen in Georgia ; these said to be a trifle larger, being 

 thirteen inches long, and twenty-two broad : bill one inch long. 



Mr. Abbot, from whom I received this account, met with three 

 of them in company, at one of the ponds, in June, which were all 

 he ever heard of in those parts ; they were very shy, and ran quick. 

 In the collection of the late Mr. Folijambe, was a male. This and 

 five or six others were met with in Lincolnshire, in the month of May. 



From what has been said above concerning the Grey and Swiss 

 Sandpipers, we may fairly suppose them to be allied, and that they 

 differ only in being more or less in complete plumage of the breast. 

 The one mentioned by Forster is certainly immature, and that 

 received by myself from Hudson's Bay equally so, and as both these 

 were taken in April, they were probably in the state of change 

 against the summer. Mr. Abbot's were met with in June, with the 

 black breast complete, such as the Swiss is known to be ; hence we 

 think it probable that the Grey Sandpiper only gains a mixture of 

 black on the under parts the first year, but that the fully adult ones 

 have the black breast after April and May, and lose it again after 

 the breeding season. 



29.— LESSER GREY SANDPIPER. 



Tringa arenaria, Lin. i. 251. Gm. Lin. i. 680. Gm. reise, iv. p. 140. 

 Calidris grisea minor, Bris. v. 236. t. 20. f. 2 ? Id. 8vo. ii. 272 ? 

 Tringa arenaria, Small grey Sandpiper, Lin. Trans', iy. p. 25. 



LENGTH, to the end of the tail, seven inches and three quarters; 

 to the toes about eight ; breadth fifteen ; weight one ounce and a half. 

 Bill black, from tip to gape one inch and one eighth ; face, round 



