PECTORAL SANDPIPER. 



Tringa pectoralis, Bonap. 

 Le Becasseau Pectorale. 



An example of this species of Sandpiper having been killed in our island, we have deemed it necessary to 

 include a figure of it in the present work. As we have nothing to add to the account published by Mr. Hoy 

 in Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, we think it best to quote that gentleman's words: "The occur- 

 rence of the Pectoral Sandpiper, Tringa pectoralis, is noticed and a plate given by Mr. Eyton in his con- 

 tinuation of Bewick's Birds. I am not aware of a more recent instance of its occurrence, and have thought 

 it might be interesting to some of your readers to know something more respecting the capture of the above- 

 named specimen. This Tringa seems allied both to T. variabilis and T. subarquata ; and in the form of the 

 bill shows some affinity with the Knot {T. canutus). In size it is superior to the Curlew Tringa (T. subar- 

 quata). It was killed on October 17th, 1830, on the borders of Breydon Broad, an extensive sheet of water 

 near Yarmouth, rather celebrated for the numerous rare birds which have at different times been observed 

 and shot on its banks and waters. The person who killed it remarked that it was solitary, and its note was 

 new to him, which induced him to shoot it. It proved a female on dissection. 



" This specimen has been examined by M. Audubon, and identified by him with the Tringa pectoralis of 

 North America," which is its true habitat. 



Crown of the head, all the upper surface, wings and central tail-feathers dark blackish brown, which is 

 bounded with ferruginous and margined with cinereous; stripe over the eye, chin, abdomen and under tail- 

 coverts white ; sides of the face, back and sides of the neck, and the breast pale brown with a stripe of dark 

 bi-own down the centre of each feather ; bill reddish yellow at the base, black at the tip ; feet greenish 

 yellow. 



Our figure is of the natural size. 



