Birds of Tsu-sima, Japmu 97 



as bright red, the bill as greenish towards the base, shading 

 into orange on the ridge, followed by a broad black subter- 

 minal band which shades into the bright red tip, the angle 

 of gape as bright red, and the legs and feet as greenish 

 j'cllow. 



329. TOTANUS HYPOLEUCUS. 



There are three examples of the Common Sandpiper in the 

 collection, dated April and May. 



Very few ornithologists realize how very closely this 

 species is allied to its American representative, the Spotted 

 Sandpiper, Totanas macularius : they differ only in colour, 

 and it would be impossible to determine to which species an 

 albino of either of them belonged. There is scarcely any 

 difference in the markings of the upper parts, but adults in 

 summer plumage diifer widely from each other in the spots 

 on the under surface. The New-Woi'ld species has the 

 nnderparts as boldly spotted as those of a Song Thrush; 

 but the Old-World species has no marks on the nnderparts 

 except on the lower throat and upper breast, and these 

 markings are narrow brown shaft-streaks, very different from 

 the large round spots of the Nearctic bird. 



In both species, so far as is known (we have unfortunately 

 very little information respecting the winter plumage of the 

 Spotted Sandpiper), these markings more or less disappear 

 at the autumn moult. The young in first plumage of the 

 Spotted Sandpiper has no spots or streaks on the nnderparts, 

 and it is supposed that this is also the case with the adult in 

 winter plumage. The young in first plumage of the Common 

 Sandpiper is as much streaked on the throat and breast as 

 the adult in summer plumage ; but these streaks are very 

 narrow and obscure in tiie winter plumage, and sometimes 

 (possibly in very old birds) are quite obsolete, so that this 

 character will not always serve to distinguish the two species 

 in winter plumage. 



Another character which generally serves to distinguish 

 the two species at all seasons is the amount of white on the 

 secondaries. In the Common Sandpiper tlic inner secon- 

 daries, especially the 8th and Oth, have much more wliite 



SEll. VI. VOL. IV. H 



