SCHINZ’S SANDPIPER.

Tringa Schinzii, Bonap.

Turoven the kindness of Sir Rowland Hill, Bart., we are enabled to add this species to the list of British
Birds ; a single specimen killed at Stoke Heath near Market Drayton, Shropshire, a few years since, is now
in that gentleman’s collection. We have compared the individual from which our figure is taken, with others
killed in America, between which we could discover no difference. Its shorter bill and white rump will at all
times serve to distinguish it from the other European members of the group. We believe that the continent
of America is the true habitat of this species, and that its occurrence in England must be attributed to acci-
dental causes.

M. Temminck has forwarded us specimens of the Zringa Schinzii, Brehm, which he informs us were received
from M. Brehm himself. On examining these specimens we cannot however but express our misgivings as to
their specific value, resembling as they do in every particular the Dulin (Z7imga variabils) of our island : the
only difference we could discover between M. Brehm’s bird and examples of the Danlin killed in England
was that the former were rather smaller in size ; but we doubt not that among the numerous examples of the
Dunlin brought to our markets we could find males equally diminutive. The bird here represented, and
which is very distinct from the Dunlin, has been considered by American naturalists as the Zringa Schinz of
Brehm, in consequence of which much confusion has arisen, which confusion will perhaps be removed by
allowing the name of Schinzii to remain for the present bird, and consequently to be the Zringa Schinzi
of Bonaparte and not of Brehm, whose bird we firmly believe to be synonymous with Zynga variabilis.

« They are,” says Mr. Nuttall, “ either seen in flocks by themselves or accompanying other Sandpipers, which
they entirely resemble in their habits and food, frequenting marshy shores, and borders of lakes and brackish
waters. They associate in the breeding-season, and are then by no means shy; but during autumn, accom-
panying different birds, they become wild and restless. Their voice resembles that of the Dunlin, but is more
feeble; and they nest near their usual haunts.” The eggs are four in number, smaller than those of the
Dunlin, and of a yellowish grey spotted with olive or chestnut brown.

Crown of the head, neck, wings, and tail dark brown with paler margins ; centre of the back and scapu-
with pale brown and margined on each side with rufous ; primaries dark brown,

laries blackish brown tipped te
e white; throat and all the under surface whitish ; the lower part of the neck,

with white shafts; rump pur
breast, and flanks ornamented with numerous oblong spots of dark brown: bill and feet black.

Our figure is of the natural size.

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