698 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



black spot, as well as the white spots, and the white of the lower 

 parts is purer. 



The Spotted Sandpiper is very common throughout all India 

 in the cold season, is sometimes seen alone, frequently in very 

 small parties, by the grassy sides of tanks and in paddy fields, 

 or damp meadows, being, as Irby correctly observes, more a 

 marsh Sandpiper than the other two species. One or two closely 

 allied races from America are distinguished by Systematists. 



The next species is classed as Helodromus by Koch., and is the 

 only one of the group. 



892. Actitis ochropus, Linnaeus. 



Tringa, apud Linnaeus — Blyth, Cat. 1584 — Jerdon, Cat. 

 354 — Sykes, Cat. 192 — Tot. leucurus, Gray, Hardw., 111. Ind. 

 Zool. 2, pi. 51, f. 1 — Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 315, f. 1 — 

 Nella ulanka, Tel. 



The Green Sandpiper. 



Descr. — Crown, nape, and upper parts ashy-brown, tinged with 

 olive-green, all the feathers of the back, scapulars, and wing- 

 coverts, with an edging of small white spots ; quills deep brown ; 

 upper tail-coverts pure white ; tail with the basal third white, the 

 rest white with brown bars, the two outermost feathers entirely 

 white ; a brown streak from the gape to the eye, and a white 

 supercilium ; all beneath pure white, a few of the feathers on the 

 neck and breast with dusky streaks. 



Bill dusky green, blackish at the tip ; irides brown ; legs 

 dingy green. Length 9| to 10^ inches ; wing 5^ to 6 ; extent 

 18 to 19 ; tail 3 ; bill at front l T 4 n ; tarsus l\. 



In summer, the upper parts are darker, greener, and more spot- 

 ted, and the streaks on the neck more distinct. 



The green Sandpiper is equally, if not more common than, the 

 last species ; it is to be seen near every tank, or river side, and even 

 by most pools of water ; also in rice fields and bare swampy spots. 

 It is one of the earliest of the tribe to come in, and I have 

 seen it in Northern India towards the end of July. It is gener- 

 ally solitary. It is possible that some few couples may breed in 



