patch by a band of buff; the other markings of the upper
parts resemble those in the Green Sandpiper, but the ground-
colour is more buff; the under parts buffy-white,.
A specimen of the American Solitary Sandpiper {Totanus
solitarius) is said by Mr. R. Gray (Ibis, 1870, p. 292, and
B. of W. of Scot. p. 296) to have been shot some years ago,
somewhere on the banks of the Clyde. More recently Mr.
T. Cornish has stated (Zool. 18.82, p. 482) that an example
was obtained u.t. Scilly on the 21st September of. that year,
and is now in the collection of Mr, Dorien Smith of I ’resco.
In reply to inquiries, Mr. Cornish informed the Editor that
this specimen was identified from the plate and description
in Wilson’s / Ornithology,’ and not from comparison
with an American skin. ThisNearctic representative of our
Wood Sandpiper differs from the, latter in haying the. upper
tail-coverts of an olive-brown colour, the shaft of the enter
primary is dusky, not white, and the outer tail-feathers distinctly
barred on both webs.
Beneath are representations of# feather from the . axillary
plume and one from the middle of the tail in the Wood
Sandpiper.
LIMICQLJ2. §G0LQPAC1DJ$.
Totanus caljoris ^Linnaeus*).
THE COMMON REDSHANK.
jTotanus calidris'.
:CqMMOi^;R ed sha n k is - a numerous and well-known
§pvecies, and many arp to be found ijb these island# all the
year, although the birds bred herp are few ip comparison with
the migrants which annually visit our shores. In the eold,
season they frequent and feed by.thesea, over those extensive
flats which are left bare by every receding ^hje, and the birds
arpthgp seen in flocks j in the spring, however, they retire
to fens and marshes, near pools or lakes, and to the banks
of rivers.
Drainage and modern improvements have- to a great
extent diminished the area of the breeding-places ^qf the
t - §jQl&pg,xJJalidris, iiinnseijs, .SysJS'Nat.. Ed. A2, i. p. 245 (1766).’