Before proceeding to detail my observations on the habits of this humble but extremely interesting bird, I deem it necessary to inform you that I disclaim as species belonging to the United States, or even to any part of North America, the following, which however are given in the Synopsis of the PRINCE of MUSIGNANO, and in the work of my generous friend THOMAS NUTTALL, viz., _Tringa platyrhincha_ of TEMMINCK, _T. Temminckii_ of LEISLER, _T. minuta_ of LEISLER, _T. minuta_ of TEMMINCK, and _T. pusilla_ of BECHSTEIN. This opinion of mine I divulged to the PRINCE of MUSIGNANO in London, and he has on this account omitted these species in his recently published list. The extreme confusion that exists with respect to these species, and many others of the same tribe, is in my opinion caused solely by the anxiety of authors to discover or invent new species, often founding distinctions on slight differences in the length of bills, tarsi, or toes. Now, Reader, if in such large species as the _Grus Americana_, for example, the young has been palmed on the world of science as a distinct species for nearly a century past, without any other kind of reason or proof than that obtained from mere dried skins, can we be surprised that in birds so small as the present, opportunities should have occurred of committing errors. My opinion, which I do not present to you without due consideration, is, that we have in the United States only the diminutive species badly figured by WILSON, and almost as carelessly described by that wonderful man. To enter upon a long discussion as to the identity of the present bird with any of the small Tringas enumerated by European authors, would be to me quite as irksome as it would prove unprofitable to you, for there scarcely exists a single description of these birds sufficiently accurate to enable one to decide with certainty. All are as nearly as possible of the same size and colour, excepting in those deviations dependent upon age, and the different states of plumage. But in the most intimately allied species there are always marked differences in habits, and especially in the sound of the voice.