GREEN SANDPIPER 



95 



were recorded during the past century, it has no claim to be regarded 

 as a British bird. Of these six instances, four occurred in England, 

 and one each in Scotland and Ireland. 



Green Sandpiper ^" account of the shortness of the lower segment 

 (Totanus °^ ^^^^ ^^S ^^^^ ^^^^ rudimentary condition of the web 

 oehropus) between the middle and outer toes, the green sand- 

 piper (together with the undermentioned American 

 species) is sometimes referred to a separate genus, under the name of 

 Hdodromus odiropus. So short, indeed, is the lower portion of the 

 leg that it is inferior in length to the beak ; and other characteristic 

 features are to be found in 

 the dingy green legs and the 

 brown of the lower part of the 

 back. This bird is distributed 

 all over Europe, Asia, and 

 Africa, breeding in the more 

 northern districts (in Europe 

 from north Germany and 



central Russia nearly to the '^^l. 



Arctic Circle), and winter- 

 ing in Africa and southern 

 Asia, inclusive of the Malay 

 Archipelago. To the British 

 Islands the species is chiefly 



a spring and autumn visitor 

 on passage, although speci- 

 mens are not uncommon in 



GKEEX SANDPIPER. 



winter, and in Norfolk it has been observed in every month in the 

 year. Whether it has ever actually bred within our limits appears 

 to be a moot point, since the evidence is not absolutely decisive. 

 One ornithologist definitely states, for instance, that it is not known 

 to have bred in Great Britain ; while a second expresses his belief in 

 the assertions as to its having bred several times in Yorkshire and 

 once in Perthshire. The report of the keeper who furnished the 

 Yorkshire birds as to their breeding in crows' nests is, so far as it 

 goes, a strong confirmation of the truth of the report. To Ireland 

 it is reported to be a rare visitor, from August to February 

 inclusive. 



Special characteristics of the species are to be found in the narrow 

 angular white bars on the black axillary feathers and the black barring 



