THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 505 



295. Little Stint [KLEINER STRANDLAUFER]. 

 TRINGA MINUTA, Leisler. 



Heligolandish : Liitj Stennick = /S?wiM Sandpiper. 

 Tringa minuta. Naumann, vii. 391. 



Little Stint. Dresser, viii. 29. 



Becasseau echasses. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 624, iv. 407. 



This pretty little species is of very rare occurrence on the 

 island during the spring passage, and in the course of fifty years I 

 have only succeeded in obtaining one individual in May in breeding 

 plumage. Young birds of the year in autumn plumage, on the 

 other hand, are quite common here from August to the middle of 

 September, frequenting the shore of the dune in company with 

 large numbers of young Dunlins. 



We have in this way a further proof that species from far-off 

 eastern and north-eastern districts do not return to their homes 

 in spring by the same circuitous routes, which they adopted on their 

 autumn passage; but set out on their homeward flight in a 

 straight and direct course from their winter quarters in Africa and 

 Spain, leaving the points touched on during the autumn migration 

 far to their left. 



The breeding stations of the species extend over the Tundras 

 and littoral regions of northern Asia and the islands lying off its coast. 

 It is nearly fifty years ago that Von Middendorff found it nesting on 

 the Taimyr Peninsula, and in 1886 Dr. Bunge found large numbers 

 of what appeared to be the eggs and young of this species on the 

 islands of New Siberia. In the west, its breeding range extends to 

 northern European Russia, where Seebohm, in 1875, secured a rich 

 spoil of eggs and nestlings on the estuaries of the Petchora. 



A few scattered nests have been found by Collett since 1880 on 

 Porsanger Fjord near the North Cape. The bird has also been 

 met with during the summer months on Nova Zembla, and 

 probably breeds on that island. 



296. Temminck's Stint [TEMMINCK'S STRANDLAUFER]. 

 TRINGA TEMMINCKII, Leisler. 



Heligolandish : Liitj grii Stennick=/SmftW Grey Sandpiper. 



Tringa Temminckii. Naumann, vii. 483. 



Temminck' & Stint. Dresser, viii. 45. 



Becasseau Temmia. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 622, iv. 405. 



This little bird is, like the preceding species, a very rare spring 

 visitor to this island, though it occurs somewhat more frequently 



