138 EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



underlying markings are similar in size and distribution, but are 

 pale greyish-brown in colour. They vary in length from 1"6 to 15 

 inch, and in breadth from 1*15 to 1'05 inch. In general appear- 

 ance they most nearly resemble eggs of Bartram's Sandpiper and 

 the Common Sandpiper, between which they are intermediate in 

 size. 



THE SOLITAEY SANDPIPER. 

 (Totanus solitarius.) * 



The Solitary Sandpiper may fairly claim to be admitted into the 

 British list as a rare accidental visitor, three specimens at least 

 having been identified. 



The species is found during the breeding season on the 

 American continent as far south as lat. 44°, and northwards 

 up to the limit of forest-growth, which in the west extends 

 beyond the Arctic circle, but in the east not nearly so far 

 north. It winters in South America, in Brazil and Peru. 

 Whether the similarity in the habits of the two species extends 

 to the mode of nidification remains to be proved, but at present 

 the only nest recorded was found on the ground, and further 

 confirmation respecting the nesting of the species is desirable. 



THE WOOD SANDPIPER. 



(Totanus glareola .) \ 



Plate 42, Figs. 1, 3. 



The Wood Sandpiper is a somewhat irregular straggler on 

 spring and autumn migration to the British Islands. It has 

 only once been known to breed in England, in the now-drained 

 Prestwick Car, where Mr. John Hancock obtained its eggs on the 

 3rd of June, 1853. The Wood Sandpiper is a summer visitor 

 to the whole of Europe north of the valley of the Danube, to 

 Siberia, Turkestan, Mongolia, and the extreme north of China. 

 It probably breeds as far north as land extends, as Middendorff 

 found its nest in lat. 70° on the Taimur Peninsula. 



* Helodromas solitarius— Sharpe, Handb., III., p. 292 (1896). 

 f Rhyacophilus glareola— Sharpe, Handb., III., p. 275 (1896). 



