100 BIRDS OF ICELAND 



it is more uniformly dusky, but the best distinguishing 

 marks at both seasons are the uniform dark, nearly 

 black, rump which, with the back, has an obscure 

 purple sheen which is most noticeable in winter dress, 

 and by the three white secondary quills which show 

 conspicuously on the wing. Length 8h inches, wing 

 about 5 inches. 



Howard Saunders' statement that this is ' the most 

 plentiful of its genus in Iceland' (3Ian. Brit. Birds, 

 p. 579) is somewhat misleading, I think. Probably five 

 pairs of Dunlins breed in Iceland to one pair of Purple 

 Sandpipers ; and the latter is much more numerous, I 

 feel certain, on the shores in winter and autumn, in 

 the asjGjresjate, than on the fells in summer. Of course 

 this is a difficult question to decide, but I believe I 

 have travelled the country sufficiently to arrive at 

 some sort of an idea on the point. 



The birds feed on small insects, Crustacea and 

 mollusca, in summer, frequenting the margins of hill 

 tarns for this purpose ; in winter they live on the 

 coast, preferring those where there is seaweed (and 

 rocks) to bare sandy coasts. Quite silent at the nest, 

 and very nearly so at all times. 



Tringa canutus, Linn. Knot. 



Native name: EauSbrystingur (Eed-breasted one), a 

 name which it shares with the Grey Phalarope. 



A spring and autumn migrant, visiting the coasts, 

 sometimes in considerable numbers, on its way to and 



