40 
HISTORY OF 
we are informed, that a specimen of this bird in the Paris 
Museum, appears to have served for the descriptions contained 
in the following works, viz. — the well-known one of Viellot, 
on “The Birds of France,” “ Nouvelle Dictionaire d’Histoire 
Naturelle,” and the “ Encyclopedic Methodique,” and is pro- 
bably that of an adult bird in its summer plumage. Mr. Yarrell 
also informs us, that the plumage and ossification of the tarsi, 
in the specimen before us, prove it to be a young bird of 
the year. 
The species is an inhabitant, like many others of our rarest 
visitants, of the American Continent, being found in Louisiana ; 
but no mention is made of it, either in “ Wilson’s American 
Ornithology,” or in the continuation, by Bonaparte. We here 
give a description of Mr. Yarrell’s bird, it being the only one 
we have had an opportunity of examining. From it and the 
above woodcut, should any of our readers be fortunate enough 
to meet with a specimen, we have no doubt that they will be 
able to identify it. 
The Buff- breasted Sandpiper has the beak, slender, very 
slightly curved, three-fourths of an inch in length, and black, 
from point to gape, one inch, from gape to occiput, one inch ; 
crown, dark brown approaching to black, each feather edged 
with light brown ; hind neck, light brown, the dark spots 
formed by the centre of each feather minute ; wing coverts, 
brown ; primaries, nearly black, tipped with white ; shafts, 
white ; tertials, brown, edged with lighter brown ; tail coverts, 
brown, with lighter coloured borders; tail, cuneiform, the centre 
feathers, black, shafts and edges, lighter, lateral feathers, light 
brown, inclosed by a zone of black, and edged with white ; 
chin, sides of the neck, throat, and breast, light brown, tinged 
with bulf ; abdomen, flanks, and under tail coverts, white, 
but pervaded with the light brown colour of the higher parts ; 
