A Pectoral Sandpiper was shot near Filey, in the East Riding of Yorkshire ; another at the Tees mouth, near 
Redcar ; and a third in a grass-field, at Coathain, near the same place. It is also said to have been met with 
about Gwyllen Vale, near Falmouth ; and in June 1830 the late D. W. Mitchell, then of Penzance, but after- 
wards the well-known Secretary of the Zoological Society of London, sent to Mr. Yarrell “ a coloured drawing 
and a fully detailed description, with measurements, of a specimen shot by himself on the 27th of the previous 
month, while the bird was resting on some sea-weed within a few yards of the water on the rocky shore of 
Annet, one of the uninhabited islands of Scllly. On the following day another example was seen, hut became 
so wild after an unsuccessful shot, that it flew off to another island, and escaped altogether. The close 
accordance of the specimen obtained with the description of Tringa pectoralis in the fourth part of 
Temminck’s ‘ Manual ’ led Mr. Mitchell to a true conclusion as to the species and its novelty and interest in 
this country.” 
Having thus given all that is knoAvn to me respecting the Pectoral Sandpiper as seen in England, I 
proceed to furnish extracts from those who have had 0 |)portunlties of observing it in its proper home and 
in other countries. 
Mr, Nuttall says : — “ This eonspicuous species of Sandpiper, first detected by Mr. Say, is by no means 
uncommon in various parts of the United States, migrating north and perhaps west to breed, as they are 
common in the remote plains of the Mississippi, and retire at the approach of winter to the southern limits 
of the Union, being met with at this season also in the MTst Indies. They are killed in abundance on the 
shores of Cohasset, and other parts of Massachusett’s Bay, and are brought in numbers to the markets of 
Boston, being very fat and well flavoured. They arrive in flocks, about the close of August, and continue 
there, as well as in New Jersey, till the month of September. In some instances, solitary individuals have 
been killed in the marshes of Charles River, in Cambridge, about the 22nd of July. While here, they 
feed on small coleoptera-larvae, and the common green Ulva latisshna, as well as on some species of Fums 
or seaweed, on which they become fat. They utter a low plaintive whistle when started, very similar to that 
of other species. Like the Snipe, they seem fond of damp meadows and marshes ; and solitary individuals 
are often surprised by the sportsman in the manner of that bird.” 
“ This Sand|)iper,” says Audubon, “is more abundant in the neighbourhood of Boston than elsewhere. I 
have observed that the flight of the Pectoral Sandj)iper resembles that of the Knot, and is firm, rapid, and 
well sustained. It skims rather low over the surface of the water or the land, and at times shoots high up 
into the air, propelling itself with double rapidity and in perfect silence. It runs with great agility, and 
probes the sand or wet earth, immersing its bill up to the base.” 
Mr. Edward Newton met with this bird occasionally in St. Croix, one of the West-India Islands, in 1858, 
after the 14th of September, and obtained some examples, but never saw more than two in company; and 
his brother, Mr. Alfred Newton, remarks that “ specimens of this species differ remarkably in size, as is 
probably the case with many of the Tringina ; and it is possible that, in the present instance, it may be 
found that these differences in size are accompanied by a constant variation in plumage, and, perhaps, also 
in nesting-locality, so as to form races which should be always carefully distinguished from one another, as 
is the case with the smaller Dunlins of Europe and the Dunlin of America.” 
Mr. Swlnhoe observed the L. pectoralis in great abundance in the marshes between Takoo and Pekin, in 
North China, during the month of August, and also procured it at Amoy. 
Entire upper parts brownish black ; all the feathers edged and tipped with ashy and brownish red ; rump and 
upper tail-coverts black ; some of the outer feathers of the latter edged with white ; line from the bill over 
the eye ashy white ; throat, abdomen, under wing-coverts, axillary feathers, and under tail-coverts white ; 
front of the breast and neck ashy white ; all the feathers darker at the base, and with partially concealed or 
pointed spots of brownish black ; quills brownish black ; shaft of the first primary white, of the others brown ; 
secondaries tipped and edged with white ; tertiaries edged with dull reddish yellow ; bill and feet dark 
greenish black. 
The Plate represents three specimens of this bird, of the natural size, the centre one being in the plumage 
of summer. 
