499 



British islands does it breed more plentifully than in Shetland. In Ireland, Thompson writes 

 (B. of Ireland, ii. p. 96), " it is common at all seasons, except summer, in small flocks around 

 the sandy and gravelly shores, where also a limited number annually breed." 



Professor Newton says that it breeds generally in Greenland, and is found on Sabine and 

 Clavering Islands. It is said to be abundant on the. shores of Possession Bay and Regent's Inlet ; 

 but a nearly allied species was perhaps mistaken for it. Dr. Finsch states that the German 

 Arctic Expedition brought back five specimens from East Greenland, most of which were obtained 

 on Sabine Island. One was found frozen in the end of September 1869, and a female was shot 

 from her nest, which contained four eggs, on the 16th July, 1870, on Clavering Island. In 

 Iceland it is said to be not rare on the sea-coast and on some of the moors in the interior ; and 

 Captain Feilden says that it is not so numerous in Fseroe as in some parts of Britain during 

 the breeding-season, more especially the Outer Hebrides. He often remarked it flying with 

 Dunlins ; and Miiller notices that it flocks in winter with the Purple Sandpiper. Throughout 

 Scandinavia it is common. Mr. Collett says that it breeds along the whole coast of Norway, 

 from the Hvaloer to the Russian frontier, as also here and there in the interior in sandy and 

 pebbly places, and in the fells above the birch-region. It arrives, he tells me, in April, and 

 leaves again for the south in September. It has been met with in Spitzbergen, where, however, 

 it must be of but very rare occurrence. Professor Newton, writing respecting its occurrence 

 there, says (Ibis, 1865, p. 504), "Sir James Ross states that a bird of this species was killed by 

 Mr. M'Cormack in Hecla Cove ; and it may be inferred from what he says that General Sabine 

 also obtained a specimen in Spitzbergen. Dr. Malmgren mentions that Professors Torell and 

 Nordenskjold found on one of the Seven Islands, in lat. 80° 45' N., a brood of Ringed Plovers, 

 which had probably been bred on one of these, the most northern islets of the known world." 



In Sweden it is generally distributed on the sea-coast and the shores of the lakes, from the 

 southernmost portion of the country up into Lapland. Nilsson says that it arrives late in 

 March, and migrates southward again in September. In Finland I found it common and very 

 generally distributed all along the coast and on the islands ; but Dr. Palmen says that it only 

 breeds in the interior in the northern portions of the country. It arrives and leaves about the 

 same time as in Sweden. Throughout the whole of Northern Russia it appears to be common in 

 summer, and is met with on Novaya Zemlya, where it breeds. Mr. Gillett mentions (Ibis, 1870, 

 p. 306) that he saw several families in Matthew's Straits, and also on the eastern side; and 

 Dr. Th. von Heuglin writes (J. f. O. 1872, p. 11) as follows: — "Is very common on Novaja 

 Semlia and Waigatch. In the beginning of August we found young in down at the Malotchkin 

 Sharr, which could only be a few days old. Lives in pairs and families at the sea-shore, as well 

 as at the edges of brooks and dry meadows. In the beginning of September the young were 

 fully fledged." 



Mr. Sabanaeff says that in Central Russia and in the Ural country it is rarer than JEgialitis 

 curonica, and is chiefly met with on the banks of the Volga. Throughout the Baltic provinces 

 and in North Germany it is common on the coasts during the summer months, especially in 

 sandy localities, and is also met with on some of the inland lakes. Mr. E. H. von Homeyer 

 informs me that it is not uncommon on the inner bays of Riigen and the neighbouring islands, 

 as well as on some portions of the coasts of the mainland. It visits Denmark during the summer, 



