92 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



It is somewhat remarkable, that whereas the Dunlin seldom, 

 if ever, exhibits any violent variation in its plumage, such 

 as a tendency to melanism or albinism, in the smaller race 

 alluded to we have a constant and well-marked variation from 

 the type. 



The Dunlin. — Larger and smaller forms. 



Neither the late Mr. Cordeaux nor Mr. Oxley Grabham — 

 both of whom have had practically a life-long acquaintance with 

 the Dunlin — have known any such violent variations as are just 

 alluded to ; nothing more, in fact, than the great variation in 

 overall markings, which presumably gave rise to the name of 

 Tringa variabilis, as applied by Bechstein and others. 



Some time ago, while collecting on the Yorkshire coast, a 

 heavy shot brought down some Knot (buff-breasted), several 

 Dunlin, many of them in exceedingly beautiful breeding plumage 

 (thanks to the lateness of the season), and also a solitary example 

 of the " drain Dunlin," which so closely resembled the Little Stint 

 as to be mistaken at the moment for that species. The markings of 

 the back especially, coupled with the short measurement of bill 

 and wings, almost suggested a possible case of hybridity ; such, 

 however, we feel sure, is not the case, but the specimen in 

 question was Brehm's T. schinzii pure and simple. 



The following list shows the comparative dimensions of 



