

THE STINTS. 259 



east coast, though it has be:n found also along the entire south 

 coast, and has been obtained on several inland waters. 



Range outside the British Islands. Temminck's Stint breeds in 

 Northern Europe and Asia, above the limits of forest growth, 

 but in countries further west than those frequented by the 

 Little Stint, so that its eggs have never been so rare in collec- 

 tions as those of the latter bird. In winter it visits the Medi- 

 terranean countries and extends to North-eastern Africa and 

 to Senegambia, but does not go so far south in the African 

 continent as L. minitta. It also passes the winter in the 

 Indian Peninsular, and also migrates by way of China to 

 the Burmese provinces. 



Habits. On the few occasions on which I have met with this 

 species in England I have always found single individuals, 

 and those young birds. There was nothing in their ways to 

 distinguish them from the Littla Stint, but according to Mr. 

 Seebohm, there is considerable difference in the habits of the 

 two species in their Arctic breeding-homes, and he says that 

 Temminck's Stint is less exclusively a marine bird than L. 

 minuta. "I first made the acquaintance of Temminck's 

 Stint," he writes, "at Tromso, on the west coast of Finmack, 

 where it was very common. These charming little birds were 

 in full song in the middle of June. It was a most interesting 

 sight to watch them flying up into the air, wheeling round and 

 round, singing as vigorously, and almost as melodiously, as a 

 Skylark. Sometimes they were to be seen perched on a rail 

 or a post, or even on the slender branch of a willow, vibrating 

 their little wings like a Wood Wren, and trilling with all their 

 might ; and often the song was uttered on the ground, as they 

 ran along the short grass with wings elevated over the back. 

 The song of this bird is not unlike that of the Grasshopper 

 Warbler, but is louder and shriller; its usual call-note is a 

 spluttering but very distinct pt r-r-r" 



Nest. Mr. Seebohm observes : " It can scarcely be said to 

 breed in colonies, but I have frequently found several nests 

 within a few yards of each other. They are mere depressions 

 in the ground, lined with a little dry grass, and are seldom far 

 from water. They are not difficult to find, the sitting bird be- 

 traying its treasures by its peculiar flight. When the nest is 



s 2 



