KNOT 318 



loser, and to some extent confluent, at the blunt end. 

 Measurements, 42'3 x 29'1 mm., 41'7 x 29*2 mm., 

 44-3 x 29'7 mm. 



(H. E. Dresser, ' Ibis,' 1904, pp. 232-233, from translated 

 notes of Walter's paper on " Ornithologische Beobachtungen 

 an der westlichen Taimyrhalbinsel, vom September, 1900 

 bis August, 1901," published in the ' Annuaire du Musee 

 Zool. de 1'Acad. Imp. des Sciences de St. Petersbourg.') 



Geographical distribution. On migration the Knot is 

 widely distributed and undertakes tremendously long aerial 

 voyages. On the Atlantic shores of Europe and America it 

 is abundant, while hundreds cross the Equator-line by way 

 of the west coast of Africa, and others find their way to 

 Central America and the West Indies. Smaller numbers 

 take a more south-easterly line of flight, visiting China, 

 Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Top of head and hind- 

 neck, reddish-brown with blackish streaks ; back, scapulars, 

 and inner secondaries, blackish, the feathers being spotted and 

 barred with rich buff, and edged with dull white ; wing-coverts, 

 brownish ; outer secondaries, brownish with white margins 

 on outer web ; primaries, greyish-black ; rump and upper tail- 

 coverts, whitish, barred and chequered with brownish-black ; 

 tail, brown ; cheeks, throat, neck, and breast, warm chestnut ; 

 abdomen, chestnut; flanks and under tail-coverts, whitish, 

 with dark brownish-black markings ; axillaries, white, freckled 

 with black. 



Adult female nuptial. Similar to the male plumage, 

 but the chestnut shading is less developed, and the axillaries 

 are regularly barred with black. 



Adult winter, male and female. Top of head, back, 

 hind-neck, and most of the wing-feathers, light ash-grey ; 

 tail, light ash-grey; rump and upper tail-coverts, white, 

 variegated with black ; primaries, greyish -black ; cheeks, 

 throat, front of neck, upper breast, and flanks, streaked and 

 spotted with dark greyish-brown ; lower breast, abdomen, 

 and under tail-coverts, white, the latter showing thin hair- 

 like lines of black ; chin, whitish ; eye-stripe, greyish-white. 



Immature, male and female. Top of head, hind-neck, 

 back, scapulars, and wings, ash-grey, the feathers being 

 edged with blackish and buff; breast and abdomen, suffused 



