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8 



the neck plain unspotted rusty red, the throat being of the same colour as it, or else (more 

 generally) pure white. These birds agree with Gould's plate of the bird in summer plumage, 

 whereas the bird from the high north agrees with Naumann's. A single female shot at Udskoj- 

 Astrog on the 24th of May agreed, on the other hand, to the minutest detail with those procured 

 from the Taimyr river. A bird of this species, when on the shore and hard pressed by a hawk, 

 dived under the water with ease ; and I also observed on several occasions that Little Stints when 

 wounded, on having stones thrown at them, dived, uttering a loud twittering note." 



Dr. L. von Schrenck also writes as follows : — " Tringa minuta appears to be more numerous 

 both in autumn and spring in the Amoor country than the preceding species {Tringa temminckii). 

 Mr. Maack observed them on the spring migrations at the source of the Amoor, on the Lower 

 Schilka, near the mouth of the Garbiza on the 18th (30th) of May, and procured two specimens, 

 one of which was in full summer plumage, and the other had the remains of the winter plumage on 

 the upper wing-coverts and rump. I repeatedly shot the Little Stint during the autumn migration 

 on the upper and lower Amoor. At the former locality I met with a flock of both sexes mixed 

 on the 6th (18th) of August, a little above the mouth of the Bureja. They frequented a sandy 

 and muddy part of the shore ; and I shot three birds with rust-coloured necks. All three were in 

 summer plumage much worn, and on the upper part of the back of one a few winter feathers 

 began to appear. At the mouth of the Amoor, at the Nikolaievsk post, I shot young birds on the 

 8th and 12th of September (new style) which were quite in immature plumage." 



As we before stated, this Stint is occasionally met with in twos and threes, or small flocks, 

 on our coasts during the autumn migration. It frequents the sea-shore, tripping swiftly along 

 the very edge of the water, occasionally even, like the Dunlin, following the receding wave and 

 avoiding it as it returns, running with great speed, the head drawn closely in to the shoulders. 

 In the marshes near the sea-shore it is often seen about the puddles, or on the mud banks, in 

 search of small insects, and generally in company with other Waders, and bears considerable 

 resemblance to the Dunlin, being in its winter dress very like one in miniature. From Tem- 

 minck's Stint it is very easily distinguishable, both on the wing and on the ground, by its pure 

 white underparts. 



Respecting its flight Layard thus remarks : — " This is very beautiful when in large flocks ; 

 various evolutions, performed simultaneously, show alternately the dark upper plumage and the 

 white undersides like flashes of light, particularly when seen against a dull lowering sky." Its 

 flight is swift, but very irregular, and but seldom in a straight direction, though not so butterfly- 

 like as that of Temminck's Stint ; the strokes of the wing are very rapid, and it is not an easy 

 bird to kill in flight. When flying it calls almost incessantly, its note resembling that of 

 Temminck's Stint, but stronger, somewhat deeper, and easily distinguished by an experienced 

 ear. Naumann very correctly describes it as Dilrrr, Diirrrih, or clirrr, dirrrit, it, it; and when 

 a flock are calling, it sounds almost like the confused chirping of grasshoppers or crickets. 

 But little is known respecting its breeding-habits ; and, in fact, all the particulars we are able 

 to obtain on this head we have translated as above from Dr. von Middendorff's ' Sibirische 

 Reise.' 



Mr. B. Collett writes to us that he found the stomachs of birds shot in August 1870 near 

 Christiania to contain seeds of various shore-plants. Yarrell says they are frequent on the coasts 



