104 BIRDS OF ICELAND 



it in brackets as dubious ; and, though there is no 

 particular reason why it should not stray to Iceland, 

 as it has done to the Faeroes, I think I shall follow 

 Herra Grondal's example here.] 



Tot anus calidris (Linn.). Eedshank. 



Native name : ' Stelkur ' {=■' Stalker '). 



A summer visitor ; nowhere, as far as I have seen, 

 abundant, but universally distributed in small numbers. 

 It arrives in May and leaves in September, a few 

 individuals remaining somewhat later. The nest is 

 always well concealed, amongst long grass or sedge, 

 or in a willow patch, and always near water. It is 

 lined with a little grass, and the four eggs are stone 

 buff in ground colour, blotched with light-bluish grey 

 and spotted with dark brown, chiefly at the large end, 

 and are IJ inches long. I have more than once found 

 the nest on an islet in a fresh-water lake in Iceland. 

 The bird has a sporting gamey sort of look, but should 

 never be shot, as it is coarse-flavoured and useless for 

 the table. 



It is readily to be distinguished by its brown upper 

 parts (with a white rump) streaked and barred with 

 very dark brown ; its white underparts spotted on the 

 throat, breast, and sides wdth lio'ht brown ; barred tail, 

 white bar across the wing (showing very conspicuously 

 in flight) and long orange legs. Length 11 inches, 

 wing 6f inches. 



Grondal merely says, ' common on the coasts,' mean- 



