402 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
743, TOTANUS CANESCENS. 
THE GREENSHANK. 
Scolopax totanus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 245. Scolopax canescens, Gm. Syst. 
Nat.i.^. 668. Totanus glottis* {Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 700; Salvad. 
Ucc. Born. p. 328; Bl. B. Burm. p. 155; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 462; 
Hwne S,- Dav. S. F. vi. p. 463 ; Crijjps, S. F. yil p. 304 ; Hume, S. F. viii. 
p. 113 ; Smlly, S. F. yiii. p. 358 ; Leyye, Birds Ceylon, p. 840 ; Oates, S. F. x. 
p. 241, Totanus canescens, Dresser, Birds Eur. viii. p. 173, pi. ; Hume, S. F. 
i. p. 247; iii. p. 183 ; Armstrong, S. F. iv. p. 344 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. 
p. 677. 
Description. — Winter plumage. Foreliead_, crown_, nape, lores,, sides of 
the liead, back and sides of the neck and the sides of the breast white 
streaked with dark brown ; back, scapulars, median and greater wing- 
coverts greyish brown, each feather margined with white and with an 
irregular dusky bar in front of the tipping ; lesser wing-coverts dark 
brown ; tertiaries greyish brown, with alternating brown and white marks 
near the edges of the webs ; lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts pure 
white j tail white narrowly barred with wavy brown lines, which become 
reduced towards the outer feathers ; quills brown, narrowly margined with 
white at the tips and on the inner webs ; a large white patch over the lores ; 
the whole lower plumage white, the axillaries barred with brown. 
In summer the white margins to the feathers of the back, scapulars and 
wing-coverts disappear and the subterminal dark bars become larger; the 
tliroat is streaked with brown and the breast is covered with round black 
spots. 
Bill dark olive-brown, changing to darker brown at the tip ; iris brown ; 
legs yellowish green ; claws dark horn- colour. 
Length 14 inches, tail 3'3, wing 7*5, tarsus 2*7, bill from gape 2'5 ; the 
bill is slightly curved upwards. The female is of about the same size. 
This species differs from the other members of this genus in having 
the bill curved upwards slightly. 
The Greenshank is abundant throughout the Province from September 
to March or even later. 
It is found throughout Europe, Africa and Asia, extending through the 
archipelago to Australia. It is also said to occur in portions of both 
North and South America. In winter it retires to the northern parts of 
Europe and Asia to breed. 
This Wader is found in small flocks on the banks of streams and less 
often in marshes and paddy-fields. 
* Scolopax glottis. Linn. (S. N. i. p. 245), is of very doubtful application to this species, 
and recent writers are almost unanimous in rejecting" this name for the Greenshank. 
