600 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



103-109, bill 27.25-35.5. Primaries : 1st minute, 2nd longest, 3rd 

 equal or 2-4 mm. shorter, 4th 6.5-9.5 shorter, 5th 13-20 shorter, 

 6th 21-27 shorter. Longest inner secondary between 4th and 7th 

 primaries. Tail square, central pair longest. Bill long, broad, 

 widening towards middle and tapering to tip which is decurved. 

 Four toes, outer and middle ones very slightly webbed at base. 



Soft parts. — Bill blackish mud -green ; legs yellowish -grey with 

 dark leaden-grey tarsal joints and toes (Dresser) ; iris dark brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — L. f. sibirica (E. Siberia) in 

 summer and juvenile has upper -parts brighter and is generally 

 larger. In winter much resembles Dunlin but long broad bill and 

 little or no white on secondaries distinguish it. 



Breeding-habits. — Breeds in swamps and morasses, in Scandinavia 

 3000 ft. above sea-level on Dovref jeld. Nest. — Generally in tussock 

 of grass just above water-level, consisting of hollow lined with dead 

 leaves of Salix or in some cases dry bents only. Eggs. — 4, pyriform, 

 thickly covered with fine reddish or sometimes chocolate spots, so 

 as almost to hide whitish ground, and sometimes darker red-brown 

 spots or blotches superimposed. Average of 100 eggs, 32x22.8. 

 Max. : 35.2x23.2 and 31.8x24.8. Min. : 28.7x22.7 and 32.5X 

 21 mm. Breeding -season. — Fresh eggs from about June 7 to 24 on 

 the Dovre and about mid-June average date for Lapland. Incuba- 

 tion. — Probably by both sexes, as both have incubation spots. Period 

 unknown. Single brooded. 



Pood. — Collett records Harpalinus, Bembidium and various larvae 

 from stomachs ; Jackel records worms, beetles (Oyclonotum) , mollusca 

 (Planorbis) as well as seeds of Potamogeton, Polygonum, and Pilularia. 



Distribution. — British Islands. — Sixteen, mostly Aug. to Oct., 

 but two April and two May. Yorks. (one), Norfolk (five), Kent 

 (two), Sussex (six), Belfast Lough (one) (Saunders, p. 577 and 

 Brit. B., ii, p. 267, in, p. 257), Fife (one, Aug., 1912) (Scot. Nat., 

 1912, p. 212). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in Scandinavian mountains, and 

 probably in north Russia and west Siberia. On migration visiting 

 coasts and inland waters of Denmark, Holland, Germany, France, 

 Switzerland, and Italy, Black and Caspian, Mediterranean and 

 Red Seas, Pamirs and India. Replaced farther east by another form, 

 which is found on shores of sea of Ochotsk, and probably on Lake 

 Baikal, and in winter in Japan, China, and even Malayan and 

 Moluccan Islands. It must breed in east Siberia. 



Genus MACRORHAMPHUS Forst. 



Macrorhamphtts Forster, Syn. Cat. Brit. B., p. 22 (1817 — Monotype 

 M. griseus ; name from Leach, Cat. Mamm. and B. Brit. Mus., p. 31, 1816, 

 which was only a label-list and not published until reprint 1882). 



Middle-sized waders with long Snipe -like bill, culmen narrow, 

 soft and flexible behind tip, which is broadened. Ear much forward 



