322 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Ghardimaou, North Tunisia. 



Above rust-colour, streaked with black ; upper tail-coverts white, barred 

 with black ; tail grey, with narrow white margins to the feathers ; under- 

 parts rich chestnut, with very narrow white fringes to the feathers ; sides 

 of body white ; crissum and under tail-coverts white, slightly barred with 

 black. 



Iris brown ; bill and feet blackish. 



Total length 7-75, wing 5'15, culmen 1-50, tarsus 1-15. 



Adult female similar to the male. 



In winter the rust-colour is absent, the upper parts being greyish, with 

 indistinct darker stripes and the under parts white. 



The Curlew-Sandpiper, also called the Pygmy-Curlew, is far from 

 uncommon in Tani.sia as a winter migrant, and remains in the 

 Regency till a late date. Mr. Aplin met with it, in summer dress, on 

 May 18th near Ghardimaou in North Tunisia. Like some other 

 northern-breeding birds, this Sandpiper is evidently a loiterer, and 

 individuals of the species are to be met with from time to time in 

 summer in countries far south of their usual breeding haunts. In 

 Italy, for instance, it is occasionally to be found in summer in the 

 Venetian districts, and similar suitable localities, but none of these 

 stragglers ever appear to nest. 



According to Loche the Curlew- Sandpiper is common in winter 

 on all the shores and lakes of Algeria, and I have specimens of it from 

 Marocco, obtained in April. The species apparently occurs in winter 

 along the African coasts, on both sides, down to the Cape, and is 

 widely distributed, at some season or other, generally throughout 

 Europe, Asia and Africa, besides being met with occasionally in 

 America. 



In its habits it resembles some of the other Sandpipers, and may 

 frequently be found consorting with Dunlins, Little Stints and 

 Sanderlings. It is usually met with in small flocks, though some- 

 times in large ones, and often singly or in pairs, when it may easily 

 be approached, as it is not so shy as some of its congeners. It 

 frequents sandy shores, mud-flats, salt-marshes and the mouths 

 of rivers, and feeds by night as well as by day. Its food consists 

 of worms, small crustaceans, insects and, to a certain extent, of 

 vegetable matter. 



Its flight is swift and powerful, and its note is said to bear a 

 certain resemblance to that of the Dunlin, but is easily distinguishable. 



