694 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Gen. Calidris, Cuvler. 



Syn. Arenaria, Meyer. 



Hind toe Avanting, otherwise as in Tringa ; the web at the base 

 of the toes very smalL 



The absence of the hind toe has caused some Ornithologists to 

 place this bird among the Plovers. 



888. Calidris arenaria, Temminck. 



Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 335 — Charadrius calidris, LiNNiEDS 

 — Blyth, Cat. 1600 — Tringa tridactyla, Pallas. 



The Sanderling. 



Descr. — In winter plumage, all the upper parts cinereous, with 

 the shafts of the feathers blackish brown ; forehead and cheeks 

 pure white; head and edge of the wing Idackish grey; wing- 

 coverts broadly edged with white ; primaries dusky, with the 

 edges and tips brownish ; tail deep grey, the feathers edged with 

 white, the two middle ones the darkest ; all the lower parts pure 

 white. 



Bill black ; irides deep brown; legs black. Length 8 inches ; 

 wing 4| ; tail 2 ; bill at front rather more than 1 ; tarsus nearly 1. 



In summer plumage, the head and cheeks become black, the 

 back and scapulars ferruginous with black spots, and the throat, 

 neck, and breast reddish-ash, with black spots. 



The Sanderling appears to be rare in India. I obtained it on the 

 sea-coast at Nellore, but no other instance of its occurrence is 

 recorded. It appeared to me tolerably abundant, and not being 

 aware at the time of its rarity in this country, I only preserved one 

 specimen. It is found throughout the Northern part of both 

 Continents, spreading South in winter. 



It is the only species of the genus. 



Sub-fara. PHALAROPlNJi, Gray. 



Feet with the toes bordered b}'- a free membrane cut into lobes 

 as in the Coots ; otherwise much as in Tringa. 



The Phalaropes or Lobefoots are placed by Bonaparte in a 

 separate family, PhalaropidcB, which he unaccountably separates 



