282 CHARADRIIFORMES 



CHAP. 



The East Siberian T. crassirostris, with no chestnut beneath, 

 migrates to Japan, the Indian Kegion, and Australia. 



Ereunetes pusillus, called the Semipalmated Sandpiper from 

 its partly webbed toes, resembles the western form of the Little 

 Stint in coloration ; it breeds in the extreme north of America, 

 and has reached Patagonia in winter. Eurynorhynclius pygmaeus, 

 the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, on the other hand, is coloured like the 

 eastern red-throated Little Stint, but is especially remarkable for 

 its large, broad, shovel-shaped bill. The breeding grounds are not 

 known, but it has been obtained on both sides of the North Pacific, 

 and on migration in Japan, China, India, and Burma. Calidris 

 arenaria, the Sanderling, easily recognisable by the want of a hind- 

 toe, is rufous and black above, and white below, having a chest- 

 nut throat spotted with black. It reaches us in August, while 

 some individuals remain throughout the winter, being at that season 

 uniform grey with white under surface. The eggs, which have a 

 peculiar greenish tint, and are* like those of the Curlew in minia- 

 ture, have been taken in Greenland and Arctic America, but, 

 except perhaps in Iceland, never yet in Northern Europe or Asia. 

 Sanderlings are almost as cosmopolitan as Turnstones, and on 

 migration are commonly observed running at the edge of the 

 surf, uttering a weak, shrill cry. ' Limicola platyrhyncha, the 

 Broad-billed Sandpiper, has a wide flat beak with the pointed tip 

 slightly decurved ; the upper plumage is mottled with dark brown, 

 rufous, and white; the breast is reddish-white, spotted with brown ; 

 the abdomen white. It occasionally visits Britain, and breeds on 

 the fells of Norway, the fens of Lapland, and thence eastwards to 

 Russia, but is rarely met with in Asia until the Sea of Okhotsk is 

 reached ; in winter, when it becomes grey above and white below, 

 it resorts to North Africa, Madagascar, Ceylon, the Philippines, the 

 Moluccas, and China. It soars like a Snipe, utters a rapid, double 

 note, and is somewhat skulking. The parent sits very closely on 

 the eggs, in which the greenish or buff ground-colour is commonly 

 nearly hidden by chocolate or rufous markings. Tryngites rufescens, 

 the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, which has wandered to Britain and 

 Heligoland, breeds in the extreme north of America, and just reaches 

 East Siberia ; in winter it ranges to Peru and Argentina. Light 

 brown and black above, and reddish-buff with a few black spots below, 

 the distinctive black marblings beneath the quills are well seen as 

 the bird, according to its habit, runs along with one wing raised. 



