RUFF 49 



Behavior. — The habits, and probably the food, of the Polynesian 

 tattler are apparently similar to those of our American bird. Doctor 

 Hanna (1920) says: 



I had an opportunity to observe this bird for a while witli two wandering 

 tattlers in view at the time. The actions of the two species were practically the 

 same. They feed very close to the sea on rocky shores and when disturbed fly 

 lazily, rarely more than 100 yards. The wandering tattlers on this occasion 

 appeared perceptibly larger than the Polynesian and the notes of the two were 

 different. The latter uttered an irregular screech not of the same intensity ,or 

 pitch, whereas the former gave its usual call, a series of 6 to 10 individual notes 

 uttered in the same pitch and rapid succession, but each of shortening duration. 



Winter. — This tattler migrates soutliTrarcl in winter through the 

 Kurile Islands and Japan to the Malay Archipelago, the Philip- 

 pines, and Australia. W. B. Alexander (1926) says of it in North 

 Queensland : 



This was the commonest species of sandpiper on the beaches at Cairns and 

 Yarrabah early in September, feeding in small parties. The first were noted on 

 September 1. They are easily recognized by their gray plumage and yellow 

 legs, though the latter are not so brightly colored as those of the two species 

 known in America as yellowlegs. 



DISTRIBTjnON 



Range. — Eastern Asia, Melanesia, and Australia; casual on the 

 Pribilof Islands. 



The Polynesian tattler breeds in eastern Siberia, from Lake Baikal 

 to Kamchatka; in migration it passes through China, Japan, and 

 the Philippine Islands to winter quarters in the Malay Archipelago 

 and northern Australia (Queensland). 



Casual records. — This species has been detected in North America 

 on three occasions, all on St. Paul Island, of the Pribilqf group, 

 Alaska (October 4, 1911, September 2, 1917, and September 17, 

 1919). 



PHILOMACHUS PUGNAX (Linnaeus) 

 RUFF 



Contributed, hy Francis diaries Rodert Jourdain 

 HABITS 



The claim of the ruff to a place in the American Jist is a much 

 stronger one than that of most of the Palaearctic species which figure 

 in it, as it has occurred three times in Greenland, once in Canada. 

 on many occasions in the eastern States, in Barbados, Guadeloupe, 

 and South America. 



