PYRRHOCORAX. 



393 



When the number of synonimes attached to this bird are considered, 

 they will clearly evince the necessity of more than ordinary attention 

 in the discrimination of the species of this genus. Here are four sup- 

 posed species brought into one ; and if the Black Sandpiper of the 

 British Zoology was added as a trifling variety, we s aspect we should 

 not be far from correct. 



In the latter end of November, 1807, Mr. Anstice favoured us with 

 two specimens of the Purple Sandpiper that were shot in Somerset- 

 shire, and bought in the market of Bridgewater. These, upon dissec- 

 tion, proved to be of different sexes. In both these specimens the 

 upper part of the breast is dusky-grey ; the sides of the breast near the 

 shoulder black ; the legs dull orange ; the upper part of the bill towards 

 the base orange, paler at the base of the under mandible. In the giz- 

 zards of these birds were fragments of small Cancri onisci and shells, 

 with several perfect fry of Turbo littoreus. *" The young of an year 

 old," says Temminck, " have the feathers on the crown of the head, 

 the back, scapulars, secondary quill feathers, and the middle tail fea- 

 thers, of a dark black ; the margins and tips bordered with a bright red; 

 all the lesser coverts of the wing terminating with large white borders, 

 with longitudinal spots on the belly and sides ; in this plumage, it is the 

 Knot of .Pennant, Br. Zool., p. 123. This species is very common in 

 Holland, and in the country in Norway, along the shore of the Baltic, 

 and the Mediterranean, and Hudson's Bay ; but with all his opportu- 

 nities, Temminck was unable to hear of its nest.* 



PURRE,— A name for the Dunlin. 



PUTTOCK.— A name for the Kite and for the Buzzard. 



PYRRHOCORAX (Cuvier.)— *Chough, a genus thus characte- 

 rised. Bill middle-sized, somewhat slender, more or less arched and 

 cutting ; compressed ; a little awl-shaped at the point, with a very 

 slight slope, or smooth ; nostrils at the sides of the base ovoid, open, 

 quite hid by bristles directed forwards ; legs strong and robust ; shank 

 longer than the middle toe ; four toes almost quite separated ; claws 

 strong and arched ; wings, the three first quills gradually slanting ; the 

 fourth and fifth the longest.* 



