THE BIRDS OF MESOPOTAMIA. 
. . 667 
253. Little Stint. Erolia minuta^ 
Erolia miniita minuta (Leisl,) (Nach. zu Beehst. Naturg. Deutscli., 1812 
p. 74 — Hanau, Germany). 
Buxton found this species abundant on spring and autumn passage in the 
marshes Magrath and Meinertzhagtn noted small parties along the rivers in 
winter. 
Exact status not fully known, probably a winter visitor and a passage migrant, 
as Zarudnj’’ states. 
Four specimens examined : c? 9 > Akkarkuf, 6-10-17 ; J , Amara, 7-4-18 ; J , 
Baghdad, 21-9-17 (P. A. B.). 
254. Temminck’s Stint. Erolia temmincki. 
Erolia temmincki (Leisl.) (<. c. supra, p. 78). 
Winter visitor, fairly common in the inundations and along the rivers in suitable 
places. Some are probably passage migrants also. 
Five specimens examined : Samarra, 8-2-18. ; Akkarkuf, 16-8-17 (C. R. P.)y 
9 , Amara, 24-3-18 ; 6 , 5-10-17 ; one, 30-12-17 (P. A. B.) 
255. - Dunlin. Erolia alpina. ' . 
Erolia alpina alpina (L.) (Syst. Nat. 1758, p. 149 — ^Lappland). 
Common winter visitor, arrives early in August and remains till the middle of 
May. Apparently some remain all the summer as non-breeding birds, as 
Logan Home saw “ many ” at Ratawi on June 19th. 
Dunlins frequent edges of inundations, flooded fields, river banks, associating 
with Stints. 
Three specimens examined : Amara, 25-1-18 ; Sheik Saad, 18-12-16 (P. Z. C. 
and R. E. C.) ; Samarra, 24-12-17 (C. R. P.) ; four, Amara, Jan.-April (P. A. B.). 
These belong to the typical race, with bills 32-27 mm., wings 116-119 mm., 
which in my opinion extends east to western Siberia. I have already pointed out 
(Bull. B. O. C., xxxiii, p. 99) that there is not sufficient difference between birds 
from Lappland and West Siberia to warrant the distinguishing of a separate 
race from the latter locality, so far as present material is available. Hartert 
(Vog. Pal. Faun., p. 1576) recognises this race from Siberia doubtfully and lists 
it as ? Erolia alpina pusiUa. Falk. 1786. If Tringa is used for the Stints, as 
is done in the B. O. U. list, then ptisilla cannot be used for this race even if it 
were recognisable as it is not the Tringa pusiUa of Linnseus, 1776. 
256. Curlew Sandpiper. Erolia ferruginea. 
Erolia ferruginea (Briin.) (Om. Bor., 1764, p. 53 — Iceland) {=subarquata 
auct.) 
Meinertzhagen and Zarudny both record the Curlew Sandpiper in winter ; 
Buxton obtained examples at Amara in December and April ; probably it is a 
winter visitor and passage migrant. 
[The Knot is recorded from the backwaters of the Tigris near Baiji, but as no 
skins were obtained and there are no other records for Mesopotamia I omit it. 
It would be interesting to confirm that this species winters on fresh water and so 
far inland, as I certainly do not think it is usual.] 
257. Sanderling. Calidris arenaria. 
Cahdris arenaria (L.) (Syst. Nat. Ed., xii, p. 251, 1766 — England). 
Zaradny lists the Sanderling as a winter visitor,, presumably to, the head of 
the Gulf littoral. Probably common there. 
258. Ruff. Machetes pugn ax. 
Machetes pugnax (L.) (Syst. Nat. Ed., x, p. 148, l75S — Sweden).' 
13 
