448 SCOLOPACIDJE. 



On the Continent of Europe the Common Sandpiper occurs 

 in summer, in suitable situations, from the snow-line of 

 the north down to the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Carpathians, 

 and the mountainous parts of Greece and Turkey. South of 

 this, only a comparatively small number are to be found 

 breeding, as, for instance, in Madeira, the Canaries, Spain, 

 and the islands of the Mediterranean, but it is known nearly 

 everywhere as a migrant. It ascends the Nile as far as 

 Abyssinia, and is supposed to breed in some of the elevated 

 districts of Africa ; its course being traceable along the entire 

 coast-line of that Continent, as well as to Madagascar, 

 Mauritius, and the Seychelles. In Asia it is found from 

 the Arctic circle southwards, crossing the great divide 

 at an elevation of 17,000 feet, and even breeding in the 

 Himalayas, and perhaps in the highlands of Ceylon. In the 

 rest of India, the Malay Archipelago, and other islands down 

 to Australia and Tasmania, it is a visitor from autumn to 

 spring ; it is, in fact, distributed over the whole of the Old 

 World. But although it extends its Asiatic range to the 

 shores of Kamtchatka, it does not cross over to the west 

 coast of America ; nor is it found in the eastern portion of 

 that Continent, being replaced there by the Spotted Sand- 

 piper, T. macularius. 



The habits of this Sandpiper are interesting, its actions 

 are lively, and it is mostly seen while running nimbly along 

 the gravelly margins of streams or fresh-water lakes, but 

 seldom on the sea-shore. When on the ground it is in 

 constant motion, flirting the tail up and down, and almost 

 as frequently stretching out, and again withdrawing, the 

 head and neck. When disturbed and flushed, this bird 

 utters a piping note on taking wing, which has been com- 

 pared by Colonel Sykes to the sounds, ivlieet, wheet, tvheet ; 

 and Mr. Selby says that, from the resemblance to its well- 

 known note, one of the provincial names of this species is 

 Willy Wicket. It frequently alights on fences, and Von 

 Heuglin noticed it in Africa perching on the rigging of 

 ships, and on bushes overhanging streams. Its food is 

 worms and insects. 



