SANDEKLING 319 



(H. E. Dresser, ' Ibis,' 1904, pp. 229-230, 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. - - The Sanderling has also 

 been found nesting, and the eggs have been obtained by 

 several travellers on many of the Island-Groups in the far 

 north of Arctic America, Asia, and Europe ; in fact it has 

 almost a circumpolar distribution in summer. It appears 

 to have bred in some districts of Iceland as well as in 

 Greenland. On migration in autumn, it is widely distributed 

 over the coast-lands of Temperate Europe, Asia, and America ; 

 while as the season advances towards winter, hundreds 

 journey to the Southern Hemisphere, ultimately finding 

 suitable quarters in Southern Asia, Africa, and America, 

 as well as in Australia and many of the Island-Groups in 

 the Southern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. 1 Like the Knot 

 no doubt this bird undertakes vast journeys on the wing 

 in spring and autumn. It probably breeds in great numbers 

 in Polar regions hitherto unexplored by man. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Top of head, back, 

 scapulars, inner secondaries, and wing-coverts, variegated 

 with black, 2 warm chestnut, 3 and grey ; rest of head, neck, 

 and upper breast, of similar shades, but the dark markings 

 are in the form of spots, exhibiting a finely freckled appear- 

 ance ; primaries, dull brown, the shorter ones showing some 

 white near their bases ; secondaries, brownish, marked with 

 a considerable amount of white ; tail, light ash-grey, except 

 the central feathers, which are blackish ; central upper tail- 



1 Yet many remain in latitudes even north of Great Britain during 

 winter. 



2 I have shot adult Sanderlings in early August, in which the rich 

 chestnut shade had disappeared to such an extent, that the back 

 exhibited almost a uniform black colour. 



3 I have shot and examined Sanderlings in spring, in full nuptial 

 plumage, in which the chestnut shade predominated so much that the 

 back, head, and breast, displayed chiefly a rich brick-red colour ; other 

 specimens (usually females) obtained at the same time of year also in 

 full nuptial garb, displayed a predominance of grey and black, the chest- 

 nut colour being much subdued. 



