OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 193 



Yenisei in Western Siberia, eastwards to Kamtschatka, whilst the bird has been 

 known to occur on Behring Island, east of the latter country. This Whimbrel 

 probably passes through Turkestan on migration, although it appears not to have 

 yet been observed there, for it is known to winter in India and Ceylon. Birds 

 breeding further east pass through Dauria, China, and Japan on migration, and 

 winter in Burmah, the Malay Archipelago, and Australia. It is probably examples 

 of this race that have been recorded from various islands in the Indian Ocean 

 Amirante, Aldabra, Madagascar, Eeunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez, Seychelles, Pro- 

 vidence Bank, Gloriosa, Assumption, and Grand Comoro). It is the eastern 

 form of the Common Whimbrel, only subspecifically distinct, a complete inter- 

 gradation existing between eastern and western examples of each race. Typical 

 examples differ from the Common Whimbrel in having the rump streaked with 

 dark brown, a peculiarity only observed, and even then not to such a marked 

 extent, in the young of the latter. N. hudsonicus, the American representative, 

 breeding in the Arctic portion of the Nearctic region and in undiscovered areas in 

 the far south of the Neotropical region (Patagonia, and possibly still further south), 

 wintering in the American portion of the Intertropical or Primogsean realm. It 

 differs from the Common Whimbrel in having the axillaries and under wing 

 coverts pale chestnut, and the rump uniform in colour with the back. N. 

 tahitiensis (most closely allied to the preceding), an inhabitant of Alaska during 

 the breeding season, wintering in the Pacific Islands, on some of which it is sup- 

 posed to breed. It differs from the Common Whimbrel in having the rump 

 uniform in colour with the back, the axillaries and under wing coverts pale 

 chestnut, and in having hair-like plumes extending beyond the feathers on the 

 thighs. 



Habits. — Although the Whimbrel is a much more northern bird, and is 

 best known in our Islands on passage, its habits very closely resemble those of the 

 Curlew. Owing to the remarkable regularity of appearance of this species in 

 spring it is known in many districts of England as the " May bird," usually 

 arriving on our coasts during the last days of April and the beginning of May. 

 It is observed crossing the Mediterranean from its winter quarters in Africa 

 during April. The return migration begins at the end of July in our Islands and 

 the flight is continued through August and September, the Mediterranean again 

 being crossed during September and October. In autumn, however, the birds fly 

 much higher past our coasts and do not alight in such numbers as in spring. 

 The migrations of the Whimbrel are one of the most impressive known to me, 

 the birds being not only remarkably regular, but very noisy as they hurry across 

 the night sky. A few birds, it should be stated, remain on our coasts all the 

 summer, non-breeding individuals that stop short of the breeding grounds, whilst 

 others lag behind the rest in autumn and spend the winter with us. The 

 Whimbrel migrates in flocks, and these generally pass our coasts at night, often 

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