334 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



TOTANUS FUSCUS (Linnteus). 

 SPOTTED REDSHANK. 



Scolopax fusca, Linn. Syst. Nal. i, p. 243 (1766). 



Totanus fuscus, Bcchst. Orn. Taschcnb. ii, p. 286 (1803) ; Malhcrbc, 



Fauiie Orn. dc I'AUj. p. 32 (1855) ; Knenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 279; id. 



J.f. 0. 1893, p. 92; Whitaker, Ibis, 1895, p. 106; Sharjie, Cat. Birds 



Brit. Ifiis. x,xiv, p. 409. 

 Erythroscelus fuscus, Locke, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 319 (1867), 



Description.— Adult male, spring, from Djilma, Central Tunisia. 



Upper and under jiarts dusky blackish-brown, most of the feathers fringed 

 with white, producing a spotted appearance; quills dark brown, the shaft 

 of the outermost quill white, those of the others light browu ; rump pure 

 white; upper tail-coverts aud tail white, barred with blackish-browu ; the 

 median rectrices grey, barred with blackish-brown aud margined with white ; 

 under tail-coverts white, barred with blackish-brown; axillaries pure white. 



Iris brown; bill blackish, and red at the Ijase of the lower mandible; 

 feet dusky red. 



Total length 12-75 inches, wing 6-70, culmen 2-50, tarsus 2. 



Adult female resembles the male. 



In winter the upper plumage is chiefly light greyish-brovvu, the upper 

 wing-coverts only being fringed with white ; a white streak passing from 

 the base of the bill over the eye, which also has a white patch below it ; 

 under parts white, the throat, neck, breast and flanks streaked with grey ; 

 base of bill aud feet yellowish. 



The Spotted, or Dusky Redshank, is not uncommon in Tunisia 

 throughout a considerable portion of the year, and is to be found on 

 the sea-coast, as well as on inland waters, both north and south of 

 the Atlas. When travelling in the Eegency in spring I used fre- 

 quently to meet with it on the small fresh-water pools of the interior, 

 which form a centre of attraction for many of the Waders. 



In Algeria and Marocco this Redshank is to be found, as in 

 Tunisia, in winter and on passage. 



The range of the species extends throughout the whole of Europe 

 and a considerable portion of both the African and Asiatic Continents. 



The Spotted Redshank is not nearly so marine a species as the 

 Common Redshank, and though found on the sea-coast on migration, 

 is more partial to inland waters. In many of its habits, however, 

 it resembles the preceding species, and like it, is shy and wary. It 



