354 



OCCURRENCE OF 

 THE AMERICAN PECTORAL SANDPIPER 

 ON THE YORKSHIRE COAST. 



JOHN CORDEAUX, M.B.O.U.. 

 Gyecit C>'/:'j\ c'iViVm , Z/;icv/;;j-/;/>v. 



Ax example of this American Sandpiper [^T?-!/!ga niaculata \'ieillot), 

 one of two. supposed to be of the same species, was shot on the 

 coast near Kilnsea on October 2nd. and left with Mr. Philip Loten, 

 of Kasington. for preservation. Mr. Loten was good enough to 

 forward the skin for identification, with the information that after 

 dissection he came to the conclusion it was an adult male ; its 

 maturity is also perhaps suggested by the plumage, the feathers being 

 much abraded andi worn : the markings on the breast are also of a 

 distinctl}' sagittate character, although not so pronounced as in some 

 examples of the bird I have seen from America. 



This species is readily diagnosed from its near American ally, 

 T. Ihiirdi. as clearly pointed out by Mr. Seebohm in his excellent 

 work. • The Geographical Distribution of the Charadriid^e,' by its 

 larger size. In T. baii'di also the tarsi and feet are black, and not 

 yellowish-brown, and the central tail-feathers not longer than the 

 outer, although the intermediate ones on each side are somewhat 

 shorter. In T. maailata the central rectrices are the longest, and 

 i:)ointed. From the Siberian sub-species T. acuminata it difters in 

 having the lateral rectrices more rounded, but this appears to be a 

 somewhat uncertain character, as intermediate forms are known to 

 occur. 



The Pectoral Sandpiper has previously been recorded in Yorkshire, 

 twice m 1S53 and once in 1S54 (^see Clarke and Roebucks ' Hand- 

 book of the A'ertebrate P\iuna of Vorksliire." p. 74). 



NO TES— ORNITHOL OGY. 



Pallas' Sand-Grouse at Wetwang--on-the-Wolds. — On Thursday, 

 September 6th, about 4 p.m.. a brace of Palla>" Sand-Grouse [Syrrhaptcs para- 

 dox}(s\ flew close to me within 100 yards of Wetwang Station. They were darker 

 than I expected. The cry was 'tack — tack, tack — tack." — E. Maule Cole, 

 Wetwaui;. via York, October iSSS. 



Pallas' Sand-Grouse in Lincolnshire. — A remarkably line specimen of 

 this rare visitor {Syrrhaptcs p,irad,\xus\ was shot in the parish of Goxhill, on 

 Tuesday. October 23rd. It w as one of a flock numbering about twenty, which were 

 feeding on a piece of wheat stubble. They had been seen about the same held for 

 some days.— J. W. Harrisox, Goxhill, Lincolnshire, October 24th. 1SS8. 



Naturalist, 



