590 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Field -characters. — About size of Dunlin with a straight, slender 

 bill. At favourable angles diagnostic white patch crossing above 

 rather dark tail is conspicuous. As in American Stint and Semi- 

 palmated Sandpiper a pale shade on wing, but nothing comparable 

 with white wing-stripe of Dunlin or bolder black and white of 

 Sanderling. Frequents bay-flats and marsh pools, flying rather 

 leisurely in close -ranked flocks. Scattering birds loosely associate 

 with other small waders, even with Sanderling on open beaches, 

 and fly more swiftly. Such birds have a peculiar and diagnostic 

 flight -note like squeak of a mouse — " jeet." In general species is 

 rather silent. Sometimes takes advantage of concealing coloration 

 by crouching, as do Pectoral and American Stint. (J. T. Nichols.) 



Breeding-habits. — Little on record as to breeding. Nest. — 

 Shallow cavity in ground, lined with a few decayed leaves. Eggs. — 

 Usually 4, pyriform, rufous-drab in ground-colour with irregular 

 umber markings, almost black in places and ashy-grey shellmarks, 

 chiefly at large end. Average of 23 eggs, 34.1 x 23.9. Max. : 36 X 25. 

 Min. : 31.4x23.7 and 31.6x22.9 mm. Breeding -season. — End 

 June and first half July. Incubation. — No details. 



Food. — Only insects, smaller Crustacea, and marine animals re- 

 corded. 



Distribution —England — Fifteen. Salop (one), Scilly Isles (two), 

 Cornwall (three), Devon (four), Sussex (two), Middlesex (one). 

 (Saunders, p. 581). Kent (one), June 4, 1906 {Brit. B., I, p. 231). 

 Sussex (one) April 14, 1916 (op. c, xi, p. 68). One believed shot 

 near Belfast prior to 1836. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds on arctic coast and islands of 

 N. America as far west as Point Barrow in Alaska, and as far east 

 as west Greenland. Migrates through N. and Middle America, and 

 W. Indies, and winters in southern S. America to south Patagonia 

 and Falkland Islands. Casual in Bermudas, once Franz Josef Land. 



CALIDRIS MARITIMA 



399. Calidris maritima maritima (Briinn).— THE PURPLE SAND- 

 PIPER. 



Tringa maritima Briinnich, Orn. Bor., p. 54 (1764 — Christiansoe, 



Norway). 



Tringa lincolnienii Latham, Ind. Orn., 11, p. 734 (1790 — Lincolnshire). 



Tringa nigricans Montagu, Trans. Linn. Soc, London, iv, p. 40, pi. 11, 



fig. 2 (1796— Wales). 



Tringa striata Linnaeus, Yarrell, in, p. 408 ; Saunders, p. 593. 



Description. — Adult male and female. Winter. — Crown sooty- 

 brown, feathers edged dark ash-grey ; nape dusky-brown, feathers 

 faintly edged dark ash-grey ; mantle and scapulars black-brown 

 glossed bronze -purple, feathers edged dark ash-grey ; lower scapu- 

 lars brown more or less edged white at tip ; back and rump black- 

 brown, feathers narrowly edged ash- white ; central upper tail- 



