THE RED-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 603 



white back and rump with large oval spots of sepia and barred 

 tail. 



Field -characters. — Upper-parts darker and browner than other 

 coastal birds with which it associates, bill conspicuously longer, 

 approaching in both these characters shorter -winged upland Snipe 

 (Gallinago). In flight a pure white stripe (not seen when bird has 

 alighted) in centre of dark back. Young birds have vague greyish 

 posterior border to wing, conspicuous at some distance. Stands 

 low, rather short (greenish) legs contrasting with long bill. Fre- 

 quents pools in marsh and coastal mud-flats. Unsuspicious and 

 gregarious. Flight -note a whistle like that of Yellowshank, but 

 distinguishable, " dow," " do-witch " or " do-wit-cher," last syllable 

 often doubled or trebled. (J. T. Nichols.) 



Breeding-habits. — Haunts marshes and borders of lakes. Nest. — 

 Shallow depression in moss or among bents, with no lining beyond 

 an occasional leaf or two. Eggs. — 4, greenish -olive to drab in 

 ground, spotted and streaked with sepia -brown and a few under- 

 lying shellmarks. Average of 12 eggs taken by E. W. Nelson, 41.4 X 

 30.9. Max.: 47.5x31.5 and 46.5x31.7. Min. : 42.9x30.5 mm. 

 Incubation. — Female recorded brooding. No details of period. 

 Single brooded. 



Food. — Insects, especially coleoptera ; also worms, leeches and 

 occasionally small seeds. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Over twenty from Aug. to Oct., 

 one May, in various years. Yorks. (one), Lines, (one), Norfolk (three), 

 Middlesex (two), Kent (three), Sussex (one), Hants, (two), Devon 

 (one or more), Scilly (one), Lanes, (two), Cumberland (one), Fife 

 (one), Lanark (one), Argyll (one), Queen's co. (one), Tipperary (one). 

 (Saunders, p. 621 ; Brit. B., i, p. 231 ; n, p. 270 ; vi, p. 95 ; Hist. 

 Birds Kent, p. 481.) 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Eastern N. America, exact breeding 

 range unknown. Winters from Florida and West Indies south to 

 north Brazil ; passes on migration along Atlantic coast of N. 

 America and occasionally through Illinois, Indiana, and Ontario ; 

 accidental in Greenland, Bermudas, Denmark and France. Re- 

 placed by a closely-allied race in western N. America. 



Genus TEREKIA Bp. 



Terekia Bonaparte, Comp. List B. Eur. and N. Amer., p. 52 (1838 — 

 Monotype " Tringa javanica," corr. Totanus javanicus Horsf. = Scolopax 

 cinerea Guld.). 



Characterised by long recurved bill, which is much wider at 

 base than at tip, at least 15 mm. longer than tarsus. Legs and toes 

 short, outer and inner toe connected with middle one by short web 

 at base. Hind toe well developed. Nearest allies Tringa. 1 

 species only. 



