PURPLE SANDPIPER. 193 



The Purple Sandpiper might almost be regarded as a resident in the 

 Circumpolar Region. It is a summer visitor to North Greenland, Spitz- 

 bergen, Nova Zembla, and the Taimur peninsula, but in South Greenland, 

 Iceland, the Faroes, and on the Norwegian coasts it is a resident. It 

 winters in some numbers on the southern shores of the North Sea, and 

 sparingly on the northern shores of the Mediterranean. It probably breeds 

 on both coasts of Behring's Straits and across Arctic America. It has not 

 occurred in Japan ; but I have a specimen in my collection, in winter 

 plumage, obtained by Wosnessenski in the Kurile Islands. It winters 

 on the shores of the Great Lakes, and on the coasts of New Brunswick, 

 occasionally occurring on the Bermudas and the Azores. A solitary 

 individual is said to have wandered as far as South Africa. The Purple 

 Sandpiper is supposed to be represented on the Pribylov Islands, in 

 Behring Sea, by Tringa ptilocnemis — a very doubtful species, which is said 

 to have the feathers of the upper parts, in breeding-plumage, margined with 

 buff instead of chestnut, and in winter plumage to have the general colour 

 of the upper parts much paler. 



The Purple Sandpiper's migrations are only comparatively small. Like 

 the Snow-Bunting, this bird winters in great numbers as far north as it can 

 with safety, frequenting the Arctic coasts that are free from ice. Some 

 birds, however, wander along the coast as far as Gibraltar. The Purple 

 Sandpiper usually makes its^appearance on the British coasts in September ; 

 but it is far more numerous in October, and remains here until late in the 

 following spring, departing in May to its breeding-grounds. 



Unlike most of its congeners, the Purple Sandpiper loves a rocky coast, 

 a bold shore where the rocks gradually shelve down into the water or are 

 left exposed in huge masses at low tide. It is not often seen on a low sandy 

 beach ; but the wide, almost interminable, mud-flats which have such a 

 charm for most wading bii'ds are occasionally frequented by the Purple 

 Sandpiper. It visits the coast in little parties ; but now and then a solitary 

 bird is met with, which will sometimes join a flock of Dunlins or other 

 small Waders. In many of its habits the Purple Sandpiper differs consi- 

 derably from its congeners. It loves to frequent the shore when the waves 

 are dashing over the rocks, and to seek for its food literally surrounded by 

 the spray. Nimbly the little creature trips so sure-footed over the wet 

 slippery rocks, exulting in the wild strife of the waters, and appearing every 

 moment as though the huge angry waves would overwhelm it. Tightly 

 it clings to the boulders until each succeeding wave has broken, when its 

 active search commences. When the gale is at its height it shuns the 

 shore, or seeks safety and shelter amongst the rocks above high-water 

 mark; and Saxby states that in Shetland he has known it to take refuge 

 under the lee of a wall, and to feed within a few yards of his house. 



The Purple Sandpiper is a very tame little bird, often allowing the 



VOL. III. o 



