PLATE CLXXVII. 



The defcription of the Purple Sandpiper, inferted in the fourth 

 volume of the Tranfaftions of the Linnaean Society, was taken from a 

 fpecimen killed at Langharne,on the coaft of Cae^marthen^hire,in com- 

 pany with the Purre : it was killed in the month of January, and two 

 others of the fame kind having been fliot there the fame winter, it 

 obtained the trivial name of the W elfli Sandpiper, and from its colour, 

 the fpecific name of nigricans. 



A figure of the fame bird had previoufly appeared in the work of 

 Walcot, Si/n. \l, t. 155, under the name of the Purple Sandpiper; 

 and as the bird has been fmce found on thecoafts of Kent and Suffex, 

 the appellation of Purple Sandpiper feems more appropriate than the 

 Tery local name of Welfli Sandpiper, 



Nor is the merit of its original introdu6lion into the Britifli Fauna 

 even due to Walcot, fince the bird muft have been known as one of 

 the rareft of our Sandpipers prior to the time in which his Synopfis 

 was compofed, for long before that period there was a fpecimen of 

 it in the late Leverian Mufeum, and which, if we miftake not, was 

 the firft example of this interefting fpecies introduced to public notice. 



Having mentioned this, it is equally due, in juftice, to thofe by whom 

 the fpecies was defcribed to ftate, that whilft it remained among the 

 Leverian birds it bore the name of the Knot," and it is not im- 

 poffible, under that defignation, it might have efcaped remark, or 

 been coniidered as a variety of the common Knot. That the fpecies 

 had a place in the Leverian Mufeum can admit of no diftruft, for we 

 are in polTeffion of the original bird with the label annexed. 



In fVibmitting the preceding obfervations to our readers we are 



only 



