96 



PLOVER GROUP 



of the otherwise white tail. In summer the plumage is olive-brown 

 above, glossed with bronzy green, and spotted with white ; above the 

 eye runs a white streak ; the throat, and the sides and part of the 

 breast are white with dusky streaks ; the upper tail-coverts and under- 

 parts are wholly white, and the legs and feet dull slate. In winter the 

 spotting of the upper-parts is less decided. The total length of the 

 bird is 9^ inches. With the exception that there is less of the bronzy 

 green reflections, immature birds arc like the adults in winter. The 

 chick is greyish buff above, with a streak in front of the eye, three 

 stripes on the crown of the head, meeting on the nape, and three 

 stripes on the back, black ; while the under-parts are greyish white. 

 By far the most noteworthy feature connected with this sandpiper is its 

 habit of breeding in the deserted nests of other birds, in an old 

 squirrel's drey, or even on the rubbish which may have accumulated in 

 the fork of a large tree. In no case does it build a nest of its own ; 

 and the situation of the nesting-site is always at some distance, it may 

 be as much as thirty feet, above the ground, even if a fallen tree-trunk 

 afford the required elevation. No explanation of this strange departure 

 from the normal habits of its kindred on the part of this sandpiper 

 seems at present to have been offered by ornithologists. Although 



it has a softer and more 

 musical cry, this bird is 

 stated to approximate to 

 the redshank rather than to 

 the summer-snipe in general 

 habits. The eggs, however, 

 closel}' resemble these of the 

 species last named, although 

 they are rather larger and 

 somewhat less glossy. 



Of the North American 

 solitary sandpiper, Totanus 

 [or Hclodromus\ solitarius^ 

 three specimens only were 

 reported from the British 

 Islands up to the close of 

 the nineteenth century, 

 namely, one from Lanarkshire some time previous to 1870, a second 

 from the Scilly Islands in 1882, and a third from near Penzance, in 

 1884. In general appearance this bird resembles the undermentioned 

 wood-sandpiper, but in addition to its slightl)' superior size, lacks the 



MOUNTCO >N THE ROWLAND WARD STU0IO5 



SOl.ITAkY SANDPII'KK. 



