TOTANUS HYPOLEUC'US. 285 



313. Totanus glareola (J. F. Gmelin). The Wood-Sandpiper, 

 This bird is not noticed by Favier as occurring in Morocco ; 



but there were plenty to be seen towards the end of April at the 

 lakes of Ras el Doura and other swamps in that country ; and 

 near Gibraltar I have observed them frequently on passage from 

 the 9th of March to the beginning of the month of May. 



Being, as far as my observations go, entirely a freshwater 

 Sandpiper, the species most resembles in habits the Marsh- 

 Sandpiper (T. stagnatilis). 



Above greenish brown, each feather margined with buffy-white spots ; 

 upper tail-coverts white ; axillaries white, sometimes with a few dusky 

 bars ; legs pale olive, 1^ inches long. Length 7 inches. 



314. Totanus hypoleucus (Linnaeus). The Common Sand- 



piper. 



Spanish. Lavandera chica. 



" This is the most common of the Sandpipers around Tangier, 

 passing north during April and May. They are seen returning 

 in August, September, and October." Favier. 



The Common Sandpiper in Andalucia prefers the banks of 

 running streams and salt or tidal marshes, being not much 

 noticed in freshwater marshes or about stagnant pools. Near 

 Gibraltar, particularly when on passage in spring, they greatly 

 frequent the sea-coast wherever there is much seaweed thrown 

 up by the tide ; and I have repeatedly observed them on rocks, 

 like the Purple Sandpiper. 



The present species swarms about the Straits in March and 

 April, passing in lots of four or five together. I have no record 

 of any in November, but saw one on the 24th of October and 

 one on the 7th of December ; they are not abundant in spring 

 until the month of March, their passage being at its height about 

 the 15th of April. Though I never succeeded in finding a nest, 

 am positive some remain to breed, as in the end of May, 

 near the mouth of the Guadiaro, a pair, from their manner, 



