198 Wii^d Birds and their Haunts 



THE PURPLE SANDPIPER (TRINGA 

 STRIATA). 



GENERIC marks: Bill longer than the head, 

 slightly bent down at the tip, dusky, the base 

 reddish-orange ; head and neck dusky brown, 

 tinged with grey ; back and scapulars black ; with purple 

 and violet reflections, the feathers edged with deep ash ; 

 breast, grey and white ; under plumage white, streaked on 

 the flanks with grey ; feet ochre-yellow. length eight 

 and a quarter inches. Eggs yellowish-olive, spotted and 

 speckled with reddish-brown. 



The Purple Sandpiper is described as^ being far less 

 common than the Dunlin, and differing from it in habits, 

 inasmuch as it resorts to the rocky coast in preference to 

 sandy flats. The few specimens seen by the writer were 

 associated with dunlins, flying with them, and so closely 

 resembling them in size and movements that a descrip- 

 tion of the one equally characterises the other. It was 

 only, in fact, by the coloration that I could discriminate 

 between them ; and this I did, on several occasions with 

 great ease, having obtained my specimens singly while 

 they were surrounded by other birds. 



This bird is very numerous in Orkney and Shetland, 

 appearing early in autumn, and leaving again at the latter 

 end of April, about which time it collects in large flocks, 

 and may be found on the rocks at ebb-tide, watching each 

 retiring wave, running down as the water falls back, 

 picking small shell-fish off the stones, and displaying 

 great activity in escaping the advancing sea. It does not 

 breed there. 



The bird has a wide geographical range. It has been 

 often observed in the Arctic regions, where it breeds about 

 lat. 78°. It is also well known in North America, and is 

 found in various parts of the continent of Europe, es- 

 pecially Holland and Jutland. 



