TRINGA. 



427 



TRINGA ALPINA PACIFICA. 



PACIFIC DUNLIN. 



Tringa alpina magnitudine pauld majore. 



The Pacific Dunlin completely intergrades with its European ally. 



Tringa alpina, var. americana, Baird, Cassin, fy Lawrence, Birds N. Amer. p. 719 (1858). 

 Pelidna pacifica, Coues, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1861, p. 189. 

 Pelidna alpina americana (Cassin), Ridgivay, Proc. U. States Nat. Mus. 1881, p. 200. 

 Tringa alpina pacifica (Coues), Coues fy Co. Check-list, N. Amer. Birds, p. 152 (1886). 



Plates. — Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway, Water-Birds N. Amer. i. p. 242 (head only). 



T~Farits "^ 



■ I Described by Brewer (loc. cit.) as exactly similar to those of the common form. 



Eggs, j : v ' ' 



Diagnosis. 



Variations. 



Synonymy. 



Literature. 



This race of the Dunlin appears to have some claim to recognition on the ground that 

 in Europe and Western Asia examples are found in which the wing, measured from the 

 carpal joint, is less than 4 - 4 inch in length, and the culmen, measured from the skull, 

 less than 1*4 inch (or measured from the frontal feathers less than 1-25) ; whilst in Asia 

 east of the Yenesay and in America examples are found in which the wing is more than 

 4" 8 and the culmen more than 1*7 inch (or from frontal feathers T5). The intergradation 

 is, however, so nearly complete that it is doubtful whether a large enough series would 

 not make the difference disappear. The comparative measurements are as follows : — 



Length of wing from carpal joint . 



Length of bill from skull 



Length of bill from frontal feathers 



Europe and 



Western Asia. 



in. in. 



4T to 4-8 

 1-2 to 1-7 

 TO to 1-5 



Eastern Asia 

 and America. 

 in. in. 



4-4 to 4-9 

 1-4 to 1-8 

 1-2 to 1(5 



Subspecifie 

 characters. 



It is impossible to say to which form the Yenesay birds belong, as all the examples 

 which I obtained fall within the measurements common to both. 



American ornithologists imagine that the Dunlins on their continent are not only 

 larger birds than ours, but have more red and less black on the upper parts, and much 

 fewer dark streaks on the breast in summer plumage. To a limited extent this is true if 



3 i2 



Alleged 

 difference 

 in colour. 



