TOTANUS STAGNATILIS 331 



far from any human habitation, the present, and some other species 

 of Sandpiper, were fairly plentiful during the mouth of April. I also 

 met with the Wood-Sandpiper in that month on the banks of the 

 river Melah near Gafsa, further to the south. 



The bird is of active habits, and very swift on the wing, darting 

 off on the approach of danger, uttering its clear note of alarm. At 

 times, however, it is far from shy, and may be easily approached. 

 It perches on trees and bushes, often at a considerable height from 

 the ground. 



Its food consists chiefly of worms, insects, and small molluscs. 



TOTANUS STAGNATILIS, Bechstein. 

 MARSH-S.\NDPIPEE. 



Totanus stagnatilis, Bcclist. Orn. Taschenh. ii, p. 292 (1803) ; Loche, 

 Expl. ScL Alg. Ois. ii, p. 317 (1867) ; Koenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 281 ; 

 id. J. f. 0. 1893, p. 93 ; Sharpc, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv, p. 422 ; 

 Whitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. lOG. 



Description. — Adult, from North Tunisia. 



Upper plumage grey, tinged with buff, the crown and neck striped, and 

 the back and scapulars spotted and barred with black ; upper wing-coverts 

 dull brown; primaries dull l)lackish ; inner elongated secondaries barred 

 obliquely with black ; lower back and rump pure white ; upper tail-coverts 

 white, barred with black ; median rectrices greyish-buff, barred obliquely with 

 dark brown ; the remaining tail-feathers mostly white, but those near the 

 middle slightly barred with brown ; under parts white, the sides of the neck 

 and breast slightly spotted with brown. 



Iris brown ; bill and feet greenish-black. 



Total length 9-25 inches, wing 5-20, culmen 1-C5, tarsus 2. 



Sexes alike. 



According to Blanc the Marsh- Sandpiper, which has not inaptly 

 been described as a miniature Grecnshank, is to be found in Tunisia 

 throughout the entire year, though it is more abundant in spring than 

 at other seasons. It cannot be common, however, and I have only 

 one specimen, obtained in the neighbourhood of Tunis. 



Loche states that the Marsh-Sandpiper is to be found on migration 

 in Algeria, but there does not seem to be any record of its occurrence 



