330 CHAKADKIID.E 



The Common Sandpiper is widely distributed as a nest- 

 ing-species over the British Isles, except in the north- 

 eastern section, which is less suitable to its habits, and 

 where it occurs chiefly on migration ; it is also rather scarce 

 as a breeding-species in South-east Ireland (Ussher). 



Geographical distribution. Abroad, it breeds over the 

 greater part of Northern and Temperate Europe, down to 

 the Mediterranean, while eastward it is found breeding 

 over Northern and Temperate Asia, also in the Canary 

 Isles. In winter its migration-range extends to Southern 

 Asia, Africa, and as far south as Australia. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



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

 neck, back, scapulars, wings, rump, and central tail-feathers, 

 dusky greyish-brown, with darker streaks ; the feathers 

 on the back reflecting greenish and bronze-like tints ; 

 secondaries, barred and edged with white, conspicuous when 

 the bird is flying ; primaries, brown ; outer tail-feathers, 

 tipped and barred with brown and white ; narrow whitish 

 stripe over eye ; cheeks, greyish ; chin, whitish ; throat, 

 front of neck, and breast, greyish, thinly streaked with 

 brown ; lower breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts, 

 white. 



Adult female nuptial. Similar to the male plumage, 

 but the markings are less pronounced. 



Adult winter, male and female. The back, scapulars, 

 and wings, are nearly uniform greyish- brown, and the 

 streaks on the throat are less distinct than in the nuptial 

 plumage. 



Immature, male and female. The feathers of the back 

 and wings are finely edged with dark brown and bronze- 

 buff, and are not so glossy as in the adult. The stripes 

 on the throat are faintly marked, otherwise the plumage 

 generally resembles that of the adult. 



IRIDES. Black. 



BEAK. Brownish. 



FEET. Dark greyish-green. 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH ... 8 in. Female a little larger. 



WING ... .,. 4-25 



BEAK T5 ,, 



TARSO-METATARSUS... 1 ,, 



EGG . 1*45 x 1 in. 



