LimicolcB 205 



chiefly of grass ; the four eggs are pointed, rather long, 

 and of a buff or greenish colour with red-brown markings. 

 The plumage in summer is more or less chestnut and 

 black above, varied with grey ; the breast is black, the 

 belly white, the fore-neck whitish with brown stripes. 

 In winter the black breast is absent, and the upper 

 parts are ashy grey. Plover's Page, Oxbird, Purre, and 

 Sea-snipe are alternative names, while all the small 

 Sandpiper tribe are indiscriminately caUed "Stints." 

 It will be noticed that many of the rarer species, which 

 breed chiefly or entirely in north Russia and Asia, 

 are, naturally, most common during migration on our 

 eastern coasts. 



The Little Stint [T. minuta), which breeds in the 

 Arctic regions from north Norway to the Taimyr River 

 in Asia, visits us on passage in autumn and spring, 

 sometimes in considerable numbers. The small flocks 

 chiefly follow our eastern coast-Hne, and generally 

 linger from August to early October, after which they 

 are not seen again till May. Their habits resemble 

 those of the Dunhn, but the note is almost like that of 

 the Swallow ; the nests are mere depressions in the 

 soil with a shght lining ; the eggs are miniature speci- 

 mens of those of the Dunhn. The plumage in summer 

 is rufous and black above ; the breast is ruddy with 

 smaU brown spots, becoming white towards the beUy. 

 In winter the bird is ash-brown with entirely white 

 lower parts. 



Temminck's Stint (T. temmincki) is about the same 

 size as its congener, but is differently coloured, being 

 greyish brown on the upper parts, with dark streaks 

 and blacker bars, while the under parts are white, 

 except the throat and breast, which are brownish with 



