300 CHAKADBIID^E 



TEMMINCK'S STINT. Tringa temmincki (Leisler). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, 'Birds of Great Britain,' vol. iv, 

 pi. 73 ; Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. viii, pis. 550, 

 fig. 2, 551 ; Lilford, ' Coloured Figures/ vol. v, pi. 36. 



Temminck's Stint is a scarce and an irregular migrant to 

 the British Isles in autumn and winter. Most records have 

 been made from the south-eastern side of England, extend- 

 ing to Cornwall and the Channel Isles. Not a few birds 

 have visited Breydon in Norfolk, especially in autumn 

 (Stevenson, 'Birds of Norfolk,' vol. ii, pp. 363-366). 

 North of Norfolk this species is much rarer. It has 

 also visited the following inland counties : Middlesex, 

 Cambridgeshire, Nottinghamshire, and Lancashire. Along 

 the entire western coast of Britain it is a very rare visitant. 

 Since 1832 only six examples have been recorded between 

 the Sol way district and the estuary of the Dee (Saunders). 



In Scotland it has been recorded on a few occasions 

 from Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, and Caithness. 



In Ireland, a single specimen was obtained, in January, 

 1848, the only one that has been secured in midwinter in 

 the British Isles. It was shot on a fresh-water pool near 

 Tralee, co. Kerry. Though recorded by Thompson in his 

 'Natural History of Ireland,' yet the writer did not 

 appear to have seen the bird, which was procured by 

 Chute. However, Mr. Ussher inspected the Chute collec- 

 tion in Tralee in 1893, and there discovered a Temminck's 

 Stint in winter-plumage, most likely the same bird. 



This species, in winter -plumage, may be distinguished 

 from the Little Stint by the great preponderance of uniform 

 greyish-brown colour of the back and wings. The former 

 is like a miniature Common Sandpiper, whereas the Little 

 Stint strongly resembles a small Dunlin in nuptial plumage 

 except for the black breast. 



Temminck's Stint resorts chiefly to the slob-lands of 

 tidal estuaries ; less frequently it visits inland shores. 



Flight. The flight resembles that of the Little Stint. 



Food. Various kinds of insects, grubs, and worms, form 

 the chief diet ; these are often found mixed with small frag- 

 ments of grit. 



Voice. In the breeding season a pleasing twittering 

 or warbling note is uttered by both sexes, as the birds flit 

 to and fro. The call-note in autumn is a sharp ptirr, often 

 sounded as the bird ascends high in the air. 



