TOTANUS 785 



Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 869 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 265 ; 

 Saunders, p. 617 ; Lilford, v. p. 118, pi. 51 ; Poynting, p. 223, 



pi. 47. 



Chevalier Irun, French ; Clmit, Andario, Span. ; Gambetta 

 fosca, Ital. ; Dunk-elf arbiger- Wasscrlciufcr, German ; Zwarte- 

 Ruiter, Dutch ; Sortsncppe, Dan. and Norweg. ; Svartenappa, 

 Swed. ; Rivikl, Cipcastak, Lapp. ; Mustavikla, Musta-Tjuti, 

 Rivatu, Finn. ; Polevoipetoioshock, SchtscJiegol, Russ. ; Batan, 

 Gatni, Hindu. 



$ ad. (N. Kussia). Head, neck, and entire under parts sooty black, 

 some of the chin and hind-neck feathers narrowly tipped with white ; 

 upper parts sooty black with a slight metallic gloss, and marked with white, 

 giving a spotted appearance ; lump white, the upper tail-coverts blackish 

 Tbarredwith white ; tail black, the middle feathers indistinctly barred with 

 grey, the rest marked and tipped with white ; flanks and under tail- 

 coverts barred with white ; under wing-surface white slightly marked with 

 grey ; bill black, but red at base of lower mandible ; legs dark Ted ; 

 iris dark brown. Culmen 2'5, wing 6'7, tail 2'82, tarsus 2*3 inch. Sexes 

 alike. In winter the crown, sides of head, hind neck and upper parts are 

 brownish ashy, unspotted ; a white streak over, and the space round the 

 eye white ; wings and tail greyer than in the summer ; under parts white, 

 the sides of the neck streaked, and flanks marked with pale ashy or sooty 

 grey ; legs dull reddish orange. 



Hob. Northern Europe, ranging into the Arctic Circle to 

 about 69 N. lat. ; Asia north to Kamchatka ; during passage 

 and in winter ranging to Southern Europe, Africa as far south 

 as the Cape Colony, Japan, China, Corea, Mongolia, and India ; 

 only occurs in Great Britain on passage. 



In its habits it somewhat resembles "the Common Redshank, 

 but is readily distinguishable by its larger size and by not 

 having the short secondaries white. Nor does it frequent the 

 sea coast so much, and breeds inland, usually in dry forest 

 districts. It frequently wades in search of food, and can swim 

 with ease. Its call-note is a clear, loud tjuti. As a rule it is 

 shy and wary, but will approach quite close when its young are 

 threatened. Its food consists of worms, insects, small crusta- 

 ceans, &c. Its nest is a cup-shaped hollow in the ground, 

 scantily lined, and the eggs, 4 in number, are deposited in May 

 or early in June, and in ground-colour vary from dark stone- 

 buff to pale greenish buff and bright beryl-green, and are 

 marked with pale purplish shell-blotches and dark umber-brown 

 surface spots and blotches, these latter being often collected at 

 the larger end; in size they measure about 1*87 by T25. 



