774 TRINGA 



and the shores of inland lakes. In general habits it resembles 

 T. minuta, and its food consists of small worms, insects, &c. 

 Its call-note is a shrill Tirrii, and in the breeding season it 

 indulges in a peculiar butterfly-like flight, at the same time 

 uttering a peculiar churring sound, which may also be heard 

 when the bird is sitting on some elevated perch. The nest, 

 which is frequently placed near water, is a deep cup-shaped 

 depression in the soil, usually amongst grass, scantily lined 

 with grass-bents. The eggs, 4 in number, are usually deposited 

 in June, and are pale stone-colour or greenish grey, with 

 purplish brown shell-markings, and dark reddish brown surface 

 spots and blotches, which are often collected round the larger 

 end ; in size they average 1*10 by 0*79. 



1072. PIGMY CURLEW. 

 TRINGA SUBARQUATA. 



Tringa subarquata (Gtild), Nov. Comm. Petrop. xix. p. 471, Tab. xviii. 

 (1775) ; Naum. vii. p. 408, Taf. 185 ; Gould, B. of E. iv. pi. 328 ; 

 (id.), B. of Gt. Brit. iv. pi. 68 ; Audub. B. Am. pi. 263 ; Dresser, 

 viii. p. 59, pi. 558 ; David and Oust, Ois. Chine, p. 472 : (Sharpe), 

 Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxiv. p. 587 ; (Tacz.), F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 925 ; Blanf, 

 F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 278 ; Saunders, p. 591 ; Lilford, v. p. 91, 

 pi. 38 ; Newton, P.Z.S. 1897, p. 890, pi. li. (eggs) ; Tr. ferruginea, 

 Brunn." Kidgway, p. 160. 



Bdcasseau cocorli, French ; Churra, Siseta-rocha, Span. ; Pio- 

 vanello, Ital. ; Bogenschnabliger-Strandlaufer, German ; Krombek- 

 Strandlooper, Dutch ; Krumncebet-Eyle, Dan. ; Rrumncebet 

 Strandvibe, Norweg. ; Spofsnappa, Swed. ; Pitkanokka-sirriainen, 

 Finn. 



<$ ad. (Spain). General colour of plumage rich rusty or fox-red, the 

 feathers on the upper parts marked with black, and some margined with 

 greyish white ; quills brownish black ; wing-coverts dull ashy with pale 

 margins ; rump dark grey ; upper and under tail-coverts white, slightly 

 barred with blackish ; tail grey with paler margins ; bill and legs greenish 

 black ; iris dark brown. Culmen T5, wing 4'88, tail 2'35, tarsus T5 inch. 

 Sexes alike. In winter the rust-red is absent, the upper parts being dull 

 grey with indistinct darker stripes, the under parts white, the sides of the 

 head and throat pencilled with dark grey. 



Hob. The extreme northern parts of Asia in summer, at 

 other seasons most parts of Europe, the whole of Africa and 

 Madagascar, Asia south through India and China to Australia ; 

 of occasional occurrence in Western N. America and Alaska. 



