580 PURPLE SANDPIPER. 



of Arctic Siberia are unsuited to its habits, and it is rare or very 

 local until Bering Strait is reached. American ornithologists assert 

 that the birds found in that region — inclusive of Alaska — belong to 

 a distinct species, T. coiiest, while yet a third, T. ptilocne>m's, is re- 

 stricted to the Prybilof Islands ; Mr. Seebohm, however, has a 

 Purple Sandpiper from the Kuril group. Its range in western 

 Arctic America is, therefore, uncertain, but our bird undoubtedly 

 breeds in the north-eastern portion, migrating in winter to the Great 

 Lakes, Middle States and, exceptionally, to the Bermudas. 



In the circumpolar regions the nest is frequently placed close to 

 the sea-shore, but in the Faroes Wolley — and afterwards Col. Feilden 

 — found it on the fells ; one being taken by the latter on May 20th, 

 when deep sriow was still lying in the sheltered spots and the tops 

 of the hills were white. It is sometimes a tolerably compact struc- 

 ture and placed rather deep in the ground ; the eggs, 4 in number, 

 vary from pale green to olive or dull buff, with purplish under-shell 

 markings and reddish-brown surface-blotches : average measurements 

 I -45 by I in. Prof Collett says that in Finmark he found only 

 males in attendance on the broods. In summer its food consists 

 chiefly of insects, and in winter the bird may be seen on the rocks 

 amidst the drenching spray, searching for small crustaceans and 

 molluscs among the sea-weed ; while, owing to its tameness, few 

 Sandpipers can be more closely observed. It swims well and 

 voluntarily ; the note is a 7vect-wit. 



The adult in summer has the upper parts dark brownish-grey ; 

 the feathers of the mantle nearly black, spotted with rufous and 

 tipped with buffish-white ; the yth-gth secondaries chiefly white ; 

 rump, tail-coverts and central tail-feathers sooty-brown, remaining 

 tail-feathers ashy; throat, neck and breast greyish, obscured with 

 dusky-brown streaks ; abdomen whiter, and the flanks spotted with 

 dark brown ; legs and feet ochreous-yellow, the hind-toe directed 

 inwards. Length 8 "2 5 in., wing 5 in. ; females being rather larger 

 than males. In the young bird the feathers of the mantle and breast 

 have crescentic white edges, which wear off later. In winter the 

 upper parts are very sooty in hue, and the breast is dark ash-brown 

 with only faint striations or mottlings, while on the flanks the mark- 

 mgs are bolder. The species may be easily recognized by its dark 

 colour, short legs, and generally ' dumpy ' appearance. 



