CHAP. XXI. EGGS OF LITTLE STINT. 275 



of the dunlin, the first feathers are those of summer plumage. 

 On comparing the young in down and half-grown birds of the 

 dunlin with those of the little stint, we noted that the legs 

 of young dunlin in down were pale brown, whilst those of 

 the half-grown and mature birds were nearly black ; the little 

 stint, on the other hand, seems to have nearly black legs 

 and feet at all ages. 



The little stint is evidently much more nearly allied to 

 the dunlin than to Temminck's stint, and ought to be called 

 the little dunlin. The birds are very similar in colour. 

 The eggs of the little stint can hardly be mistaken for those 

 of Temminck's stint, but are in every respect miniature 

 dunlins' eggs. The young in down of Temminck's stint are 

 quite grey compared with the reddish-brown of the young 

 of the dunlin. The young in down of the little stint are 

 still redder, especially on the sides and the back of the 

 neck. 



The average size of the twenty eggs we obtained of the 

 little stint is about 1-^ x | inch, a trifle smaller than the 

 eggs of Temminck's stint usually are. The ground-colour 

 varies from pale greenish-grey to pale brown. The spots 

 and blotches are rich brown, generally large, and some- 

 times confluent at the large end. They probably go through 

 every variety to which dunlins' eggs are subject. All the 

 little stints' eggs which we found, with one exception, which 

 would probably be a barren one, were very much incu- 

 bated. 



The following morning the gale from the north continued. 

 It was a mosquitoless day, but very cold ; a heavy sea still 



