THE WADERS. 493 



Asia in hollows on sandy desert, making no nest beyond a mere 

 scratching. Eggs in Scotland in 1888 are said to have been laid 

 in slight hollows on bare ground, under a tuft of heather. Eggs. — 

 Usually 3, sometimes 2 only and 4 on record, elongated and elliptical 

 in form, stone-buff or creamy-white to light brown in ground and 

 spotted and blotched with yellowish-brown and ashy shell-marks. 

 Average of 100 eggs, 42.1 X 29.6. Max. : 46.5x29.9 and 42.5x32.4. 

 Min. : 39.2x28.5 and 40.3x27 mm. Breeding -season. — From end 

 March through April to May in Turkestan. Incubation. — Probably 

 by both sexes as male has incubation spots. Period (noted in con- 

 finement) 22, 23, 24, 27, and 28 days. Probably single brooded. 

 Pood. — In Gobi Desert feeds on seeds of Agriophyllum gobicum ; 

 also young shoots of Salicornise and seeds of Salsola recorded. In 

 British Isles seeds of many grasses and weeds recorded, including 

 Capsella, Brassica, Sinapis, Baphanus, Sagina, Stellaria, Ulex, 

 Genista, Cytisus, Ononis, Medicago, Trijolium, Lotus, Plantago, 

 Chenopodium, Polygonum, Bumex, Poa, Ornithopus, Silene, Suceda, 

 Convolvulus, Urtica, Geranium, as well as wheat, rye, and barley 

 picked up on stubbles. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Irregular visitor. Greatest inva- 

 sions, May, 1863 and 1888, arriving along whole east coast Great 

 Britain and spreading over greater part British Isles, reaching even 

 north-west Ireland and O. Hebrides. Two clutches of eggs found 

 near Beverley (Yorks.) June and July, 1888, and young birds at 

 mouth of Findhorn, Culbin Sands (Elgin), June 1888 and Aug. 

 1889. Considerable invasion May 1908, recorded Yorks., Norfolk, 

 Essex, Kent, Surrey, Berks., Herts., Hants., Cheshire. Other 

 occurrences are : 1859, Norfolk, Kent, Carnarvon ; 1872, Ayr ; 

 1876, Yorks., Norfolk, Kildare ; 1890, Yorks., Lines., Norfolk, 

 Suffolk ; 1891, Yorks., north Scotland ; 1899, Yorks., Lines., and 

 possibly Holy Island ; 1904, Yorks. ; 1906, Yorks., Norfolk, and 

 possibly East Lothian ; 1909, Yorks. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds from Khirgiz Steppes and re- 

 cently Ufa Government in south-east Russia to Mongolia and 

 southern Transcaspia, Koko-nor and Tsaidam. At irregular intervals 

 migrations take place, westward throughout central Europe as far 

 west as Prance and Spain, and south to Italy, north to Norway and 

 Archangel, in east irregular to province of Pechili in China. Noticed 

 in Europe for first time in 1848 near Sarepta (south Russia) and 

 1859 in west Europe. 



Order LIMICOL.E. 



A large order containing all the " Waders," i.e. all the Stone - 

 Curlews, Coursers, Pratincoles, Plovers, Sandpipers, Curlews, Snipe, 

 Oyster-Catchers and allies, as well as the very specialized south 

 American Thinocoridas, the Chionididce from the Southern Seas, 

 and the tropical Parridce. The Limicolw differ a great deal in 

 outward appearance and anatomically. Following characters seem 



