272 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Tringa. 



Sub-family SCOLOPACINAi.. 



TEMMINCK'S STINT. 



Tringa temmincki, Leisler. 



(British : Rare spring and autumn coasting migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, June. 



Breeding area : Northern Palaearctic region. Tem- 

 minck's Stint breeds on the tundras above the h'mits of 

 forest growth from Scandinavia across Arctic Europe 

 and Siberia to the Tchuski Land on the Pacific coast. 

 In the west in Europe it breeds as far south as lat. 65° 

 on the White Sea and Bothnian Gulf, but ten degrees 

 lower in the far east on the shore of the Okhotsk Sea. 

 The evidence of its breeding on the lofty mountains of 

 Southern Siberia is not conclusive. 



Breeding habits : Tcmminck's Stint reaches its 

 breeding grounds in Northern Europe at the end of 

 May, and about a week later those in Northern Asia. 

 On migration it is gregarious, but in the breeding season 

 nests in isolated pairs, many however living within a 

 small area of suitable ground. This Stint pairs soon 

 after its arrival in the north. During this operation it 

 frequently perches in small trees, or stands on a post 

 or fence, vibrating its wings and trilling lustily. This 

 trill, however, is generally uttered whilst the bird is 

 wheeling round and round, or hovering and floating in 

 the air, although it is sometimes heard as the bird runs 

 along the ground with uplifted wings. The favourite 

 breeding haunts of this bird are the marshy parts of 

 the tundras, especially such where long grass and scat- 

 tered dwarf willows occur near to open water. The nest 

 is invariably made upon the ground, and is merely a 



