108 THE BIEDS OF AUSTRALIA 



It nests in Northern Europe and Siberia, building in trees, 

 usually selecting old nests of other birds. The clutch is four, 

 about 11/2 inch in length, and colour greenish-white with reddish- 

 brown markings. 



Genus Heteractitis. 

 Bill straight. Tarsus of same length as middle toe and claw. 

 Secondaries shorter than primaries. 



The Grey-rumped Sandpiper. 



Heteractitis brevipes. 



Eastern Siberia to Australia in winter. 



Above uniform ashy grey, with very slight lighter margins to 

 feathers; lower back more grey with whitish edges; tail ashy, with narrow 

 whitish margins; sides of face and under surface white, with shade of 

 grey on chest; sides of breast ashy grey. In the breeding plumage the 

 cheeks are spotted and the breast and sides of body barred. Total length 

 8.8 inches, wing 6.4, culmen 1.5, tail 2.6, tarsus 1.15. 



Breeds in Siberia. 



The American Grey-rumped Sandpiper. 



Heteractitis incanus. 



Northern Australia, (Oceania north to Alaska). 



The flanks, axillaries and breast are greyish brown, a little paler on 

 the upper parts, the rest of the underparts are white, no white on the 

 quills. Total length 9 inches, culmen 1.5, wing 6.1, tail 2.8, tarsus 1.2 

 inch. 



They nest in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, and passing 

 along the coast of California and the Galapagos Islands winter 

 in the Polynesian Islands. 



Genus Tringoides. 

 As in preceding, but secondaries about equal in length to 

 primaries. 



The Common Sandpiper. 



Tringoides h ypoleucus. 



Europe and Northern Asia to Africa, India, Australia (winter). 



Above bronzy brown, the feathers with arrow-shaped central markings 

 of black; wing-coverts barred with blackish; greater coverts tipped with 

 white; tail irregularly barred and tipped with white, outer feathers 



