LITTLE STINT. 645 



lusca. Of their breeding ground, or their habits at that sea- 

 son, very little is known. 



M. Temminck says this species is observed on its passage 

 in spring and autumn, in Germany, Holland, and France. 

 M. Vieillot says that it has occasionally been obtained in 

 France both in summer and winter. Polydore Roux in- 

 cludes it as a bird of Provence, and has figured its egg, which 

 exactly resembles that of tlie Common Sandpiper, T. hjjpo- 

 leucos, in colour and markings, but much smaller in size, 

 measuring only one inch three lines in length, and eleven 

 lines in breadth. 



The Zoological Society have received this bird from Tan- 

 giers ; and Dr. Andrew Smith obtained it in South Africa. 

 Mr, Selby mentions having seen specimens of this bird from 

 Italy in summer plumage ; it is said to be found in consider- 

 able numbers in the salt marshes of Dalmatia, The Zoo- 

 logical Society have received specimens from Trebizond, sent 

 by Messrs. Dickson and Ross ; and M. Menetries, the Rus- 

 sian Naturalist, met with it in the vicinity of the Caucasus. 

 Lastly, I may add, that JNlajor Franklin, Mr, Selby, and M. 

 Temminck, have recorded that specimens from India agree 

 exactly with the European bird. 



In its summer plumage the beak is black ; the irides dark 

 brown ; the top of the head and the neck ferruginous, with 

 specks of black ; the feathers of the back, scapulars, wing- 

 coverts, tertials, and upper tail-coverts, black in the centre, 

 with broad ferruginous margins ; the point of the wing nearly 

 black ; the primaries black, with white shafts ; the second- 

 aries nearly black, tipped with white ; the tail, when perfect, 

 doubly forked, the feathers ash brown ; the chin, breast, and 

 all the under surface of the body pure white , sides of the 

 neck, down to the front of the wing, and a band round the 

 front of the neck, ferruginous speckled with black ; axillary 

 plume pure white ; legs, toes, and claws, dull black. 



