786 TOTANUS 



1085. GREENSHANK. 

 TOTANUS GLOTTIS. 



Totanus glottis (Linn.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 245 (1766) ; Naum. viii. p. 145, 

 Taf. 201 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 336, pi. xci. ; Gould, B. of E. iv. pi. 312 ; 

 David and Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 462 ; Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p. 321 ; 

 Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 860 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 266 ; 

 T. nebularius, Gunner. Leem. Lapp. Beschreib. p. 251 (1767) ; 

 (Kidgway), p. 165 ; (Sharpe), Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxiv. p. 481 ; Tot. 

 canescens (Gmel.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 668 (1788) ; Dresser, viii. p. 173, 

 pi. 570 ; Saunders, p. 619 ; (Gould), B. of Gt. Brit. iv. pi. 53. 



Chevalier gris, French ; Andario, Picarot, Span. ; Pantana, 

 Ital. ; Grunfiimger- Wasserlaufer, German ; Groenpootige Ruiter, 

 Dutch ; Gronbenet-Klire, Dan. ; G-lutsneppe, Norweg. ; Grlutt- 

 snappa,Swed.] Stuore-tav6u,~La,pp.] Valkea ViJda, Finn.; Bolchoi- 

 Ulit, Russ. ; Tantanna, Hindu. ; Awo-aski-chidori, Jap. 



(J ad. (Scotland). Head, neck, and upper parts generally ashy grey, 

 broadly striped with black ; quills blackish, the first primary only with 

 the shaft white ; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts white, the last 

 irregularly barred with grey ; middle tail-feathers bluish grey, the rest 

 white, more or less barred ; under parts white, the throat and breast, not 

 the chin, distinctly spotted with black, flanks barred ; bill recurved ; 

 blackish ; legs and feet green ; iris brown. Culmen 2 '3, wing 7 '7, tail 3'8, 

 tarsus 2*3 inch. Sexes alike. In winter the upper parts are paler grey 

 with narrower stripes, the dorsal feathers with white margins, the throat and 

 breast less distinctly marked with blackish, and the legs paler, more 

 yellowish green. 



Hob. Europe, north almost to the North Cape, breeding in 

 the northern portion of its range, and south to the Scottish High- 

 lands ; migrating in autumn and winter to Southern Europe and 

 Africa, as far south as the Cape Colony ; Asia north to Kam- 

 chatka, east to Japan ; on migration and in winter occurring in 

 Manchuria, Corea, China, Burma, India, and Ceylon, south to 

 Australia; of rare and accidental occurrence in Eastern America. 



In habits it differs but little from the Redshank, but is more 

 often seen by inland waters, and breeds often far inland, at 

 some distance from water, and its cry is clearer and louder 

 than that of the Redshank. Its nest is a mere depression in 

 the ground, scantily lined with a few grass-bents, and the 4 

 eggs, which are usually deposited in May or June, are pale bufify 

 white or stone-buff, with purplish brown shell-markings and 

 bright dark brown surface blotches and spots, chiefly at the 

 larger end, and measure about 1*91 by T33. 



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