TOTANUS GLOTTIS. 841 



In many examples the centre tail-feathers are devoid of the grey wash, being barred and marked like the rest, but 

 more heavily ; some have the under wing-eoverts very openly marked with brown. The plumage of this species, 

 as in Tot. calidris, is very smooth to the touch. 



Summer plumage (Hankow, April). Wing 7'S inches ; tarsus 2-5; middle toe and claw 1-5. Head blackish brown ; 

 centre of frontal feathers the same, broadly margined with white ; hind neck and wing-coverts dark brown ; the 

 scapulars, interscapulars, and tertials patched with deep black, some of the feathers almost entirely so ; others 

 pencilled with black round the edges ; tail crossed with narrow wavy bars of black ; face, fore neck, and chest 

 streaked with blackish brown, continued upon the flanks ; under wing-markings darker than in winter. From 

 another specimen (April) it appears that the black coloration commences at the shaft, and spreads over the 

 feather gradually. 



An example from Norway has the markings of the fore neck, chest, and flanks very broad ; consisting of central drop- 

 shaped spots ;. the interscapular region is almost uniform black, and the ground-colour of the tertials very dark .: 

 the lower flanks are barred distantly with blackish brown. Wing of a female 7'2 inches ; of a male 7-7 inches. 



Nestling in down (Norway). Head and hind neck whitish, with a triangular patch of black on the crown ; a small 

 spot above the eye, a line through the lores, expanding into a broad streak over the ears black ; the triangular 

 coronal patch is streaked with whitish ; back warm buff, with an irregular black streak down the centre, and other 

 longitudinal irregular marks on the sides ; a black band on the wing ; beneath whitish, tinged with grey on the 

 throat ; tail blackish. 



Immature (August, Pagham). Head darker than in the adult in winter ; upper back and scapulars blackish brown, 

 the feathers margined with f uivous ; lesser wing-eoverts blackish brown, the greater series edged with tawny 

 grey ; the tertials, which are dark brown, indented with the same ; bars on the tail broad and blackish, and all 

 the feathers white, but with a buff tinge ; beneath white, the chest and flanks crossed with blackish-grey pencil- 

 lings, and the sides of the throat boldly striated with blackish brown. The plumage of the chest, is the most 

 distinguishing characteristic. 



06s. This species differs slightly from the rest of the genus in the bill, which is slightly upturned from the centre to 

 the tip, which is well pointed. It forms the type of the genus Glottis of Nilsson. 



The dimensions of Indian examples are as follows : — c? , Sindh : length 13-0 inches ; wing 7-5 ; tail 3*4 ; bill at front 

 2-05 ; tarsus 2-36 (Hume). 2 . Yarkand : length 13-35 inches ; wing 7-65 ; tail 3-75 ; tarsus 2-35 ; bill from gape 

 2-45 : weight 4-85 oz. (Scidly). Mr. Cripps gives the measurements of females as : — length 14-5 to 15-0 inches : 

 wing 7-33 to 7-5 ; tail 3-0 to 3-25 ; tarsus 2-33 to 2-5 ; bill from gape 2-3 to 2-52 : weight 642 oz. 



Distribution. — The Greenshank, one of the most widely-distributed species of this group, is for the most 

 part a winter visitor to Ceylon, arriving in September and leaving in April ; but numbers remain throughout 

 the year, and are most likely birds which have not arrived at maturity and are not breeding. I have noticed 

 them in quantity at Kanthelai tank in July and August, and likewise in the former month at many of the salt 

 lagoons in the Hambantota and Yala districts. In similar situations on the north-east coast I never saw them 

 at this season ; and as far as the Jaffna peninsula is concerned, I am unable to speak, not having been there 

 during the S.W. monsoon. They are to be found on all the muddy tidal lagoons, estuaries, salt lakes, &c. 

 on the north, north-west, and north-east coasts, as also down the eastern side of the island to Hambantota, 

 and -westward of that place towards Tangalla. It is common near Negombo ; but I never met with it south of 

 that place on the west coast nor in the Galle district, though I believe it is now and then found between Negombo 

 and Matara in the extreme south. Though very common within the above-mentioned limits, it is not very 

 numerous, as it is not found anywhere in large flocks, but only in small parties or even singly or in pairs. 

 It is likewise partial to particular localities ; for I have observed it to be less numerous at some salt lagoons 

 than at other adjacent ones. I found it less abundant on the north-west coast than on the opposite side of 

 the island ; but Mr. Holdsworth remarks that it is very common at Aripu. In the interior I have only seen 

 it at Kanthelai ; but it doubtless finds its way to Minery and Padwiya tanks, and other large sheets of water, 

 and it probably ascends the Mahawelliganga river into the Tamankadua Pattuwa. 



This species is spread throughout the three continents of the Old World, extending from Eastern Asia 

 through the Malay Archipelago to Australia and Tasmania ; and also occurring in America, having been observed 

 in Florida, and in South America as far south as Chile. 



