form, but it seems to me that eastern and western 

 forms cannot be with certainty distinguished." — 

 (Signed) F. Coburn (HoUoway Head, Birmingham). 

 Never having crossed the Atlantic, I can only quote 

 from other writers with regard to this species, whose 

 habits seem in almost every respect to resemble those 

 of the true Sandpipers more than those of the Snipes. 



An American author states that the breeding-range 

 of this bird extends, without interruption, from the 

 borders of Lake Superior to the shores of the Ai-ctic 

 Sea. It is common on passage on many parts of the 

 Atlantic coast of the United States, but is seldom seen 

 inland except in its breeding-haunts. In autumn and 

 winter it passes through the Southern States to Central 

 and South America, as far as Chili on the west and 

 Brazil on the east, visiting Cuba regularly and the 

 Bermudas more rarely. During its stay it flies in 

 flocks, sometimes very high, and has then a loud and 

 shrill whistle, making many evolutions over the marshes, 

 — forming, dividing, and reuniting. They frequent the 

 sand-bars and mud-flats at low water in search of food, 

 and allow of close approach by boat, hence they are 

 frequently shot down in great numbers ; so closely do 

 they occasionally congregate, that eighty-five have been 

 killed at one discharge of a musket. I have quoted 

 almost the whole of these notes from Nuttall and the 

 4th edition of ' Yarrell's British Birds.' 



