— 99 — 



under parts white streaked with brown on throat and upper 

 breast; tail white with broad bars of black; under wing 

 coverts black with very narrow angular bars of white ; upper 

 tail coverts pure white. Sexes similar. Bill about 1| inches. 



391. Wood Sandpiper. Totanus glareola (Linnaeus). 



Tofanus glareola. Shelley, p. 259. 



Very common in marshy places from autumn to spring, 

 though less numerous in midwinter. 



Length about 8 inches. Very similar to the green sand- 

 piper, but the upper parts are more spangled with white and the 

 under wing coverts and axillaries are white mottled with pale 

 brown, and the tail is white at base, brownish towards the tip, 

 and irregularly barred with blackish brown. Sexes alike. When 

 on the wing the green sandpiper appears to be black and white, 

 whereas the wood sandpiper seems much paler and more brown 

 and white. 



392. Marsh Sandpiper. Totanus stagnatilis Bechstein. 



Totanus stagnatilis. Shelley, p. 257. 



Numerous from October to April. In March and April great 

 numbers pass through from the south. 



Length about 9 J inches. In winter plumage the upper parts 

 are nearly uniform ashy grey. Lower back and rump white. 

 Upper tail coverts white, barred and striped with black. Centre 

 tail feathers ashy grey, rest white, freckled with black. Sides 

 of face white, spotted with black. Entire underparts pure 

 white, faintly spotted on the breast with dusky. Under wing 

 coverts and axillaries pure white. Wings brownish grey. 

 The bill is slightly recurved, and is black with an olive green 

 base. Legs and feet greenish olive brown. In summer plumage 

 the upper parts are strongly spotted and barred with black; 

 the throat and breast spotted with black. Young birds resemble 

 the adults in winter, but are less pure ashy grey above and are 

 more brownish grey. 



The marsh sandpiper superficially resembles a small green- 

 shank, but is more slender and graceful in proportion. 



393. Redshank. Totanus totanus (Linnaeus). 

 Totanus calidris. Shelley, p. 255. 

 Common from September to April, and possibly some remain 

 throughout the summer, though I have no reliable records of 

 its having nested in Egypt. 



