SO LI TAR Y SANDPIPER. 3 49 



SOLITAEY SANDPIPER. (Tringa sohtaria.) 



PLATE LVIIL— Fig. 3. 



PeaWs Museum, No. 7763. 

 TOTANUS CHLOBOPIGIUS.—VnziLLOT.* 



Totanus glareolus, Orel's reprint, p. 57. — Totanus chloropigius, Vieill. — Bonap. 

 Cat. p. 26. — Synop. p. 325. 



This new species inhabits the watery solitudes of our highest 

 mountains during the summer, from Kentucky to New York ; 

 but is nowhere numerous, seldom more than one or two being 

 seen together. It takes short low flights ; runs nimbly about 

 among the mossy margins of the mountain springs, brooks, 

 and pools, occasionally stopping, looking at you, and perpe- 

 tually nodding the head. It is so unsuspicious, or so little 

 acquainted with man, as to permit one to approach within a 

 few yards of it, without appearing to take any notice or to be 

 the least alarmed. At the approach of cold weather, it descends 

 to the muddy shores of our large rivers, where it is occa- 

 sionally met with singly, on its way to the south. I have 

 made many long and close searches for the nest of this bird 

 without success. They regularly breed on Pocano Mountain 



* In the second edition of the seventh part, under the inspection of 

 Mr Ord, this bird is described as new, by the name of T. glareolus. Ord 

 thought it identical with the T. glareolus of Europe, and named it as 

 such ; his synonyms are, therefore, all wrong. The Prince of Musignano 

 thus points out the differences: " T. chloropigius differs from T. glareola, 

 not only as regards the characters of the tail-feathers, but also in being 

 more minutely speckled, the white spots being smaller ; by its longer 

 tarsus ; by the lineation of all the tail-feathers, but especially the lateral 

 ones, the bands being broader, purer, and much more regular, whilst 

 the latter tail-feathers of the Eurojaean species are almost pure white on 

 the inner webs ; by having the shaft of the exterior primary black, 

 whilst that of the glareolus is white." 



The two specimens which Mr Ord shot, in which all the tail-feathers 

 were barred, and which corresponded with T. glareola, may have been 

 in fact that species. The Prince of Musignano is of opinion that it is 

 also a native of North America. — Ed. 



