KNOT 313 
closer, and to some extent confluent, at the blunt end. 
Measurements, 42;°3 x 2971 mm., 41°7 x 292 mm., 
44°3 x 29°7 mm. 
(H. E. Dresser, ‘ Ibis,’ 1904, pp. 232-233, from translated 
notes of Walter’s paper on “‘ Ornithologische Beobachtungen 
an der westlichen 'Taimyrhalbinsel, vom September, 1900 
bis August, 1901,” published in the ‘ Annuaire du Musée 
Zool. de l’Acad. Imp. des Sciences de St. Pétersbourg.’) 
Geographical distribution—On migration the Knot is 
widely distributed and undertakes tremendously long aérial 
voyages. On the Atlantic shores of Europe and America it 
is abundant, while hundreds cross the Equator-line by way 
of the west coast of Africa, and others find their way to 
Central America and the West Indies. Smaller numbers 
take a more south-easterly line of flight, visiting China, 
Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. 
DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 
PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial.—Top of head and hind- 
neck, reddish-brown with blackish streaks; back, scapulars, 
and inner secondaries, blackish, the feathers being spotted and 
barred with rich buff, and edged with dull white; wing-coverts, 
brownish ; outer secondaries, brownish with white margins 
on outer web ; primaries, greyish-black ; rump and upper tail- 
coverts, whitish, barred and chequered with brownish-black ; 
tail, brown ; cheeks, throat, neck, and breast, warm chestnut ; 
abdomen, chestnut; flanks and under tail-coverts, whitish, 
with dark brownish-black markings ; axillaries, white, freckled 
with black. 
Adult female nuptial. to the male plumage, 
but the chestnut shading is less developed, and the axillaries 
are regularly barred with black. 
Adult winter, male and female.—Top of head, back, 
hind-neck, and most of the wing-feathers, light ash-grey ; 
tail, light ash-grey; rump and upper tail-cov erts, white, 
variegated with black; primaries, greyish-black; cheeks, 
throat, front of neck, upper breast, and flanks, streaked and 
spotted with dark greyish-brown; lower breast, abdomen, 
and under tail-coverts, white, the latter showing thin hair- 
like lines of black; chin, whitish ; eye-stripe, ayveyish- white. 
Immature, male and jfemale.—Top of head, hind-neck, 
back, scapulars, and wings, ash-grey, the feathers being 
edged with blackish and buff; breast and abdomen, suffused 
