TOTANUS CALIDRIS. 
853 
interscapulars, and scapulars glossy olive-brown, streaked aDd patched with blackish, taking the form of bars on 
the scapulars ; many of the feathers with fulvous marginal spots ; greater wing-coverts barred with white near 
the tips ; upper tail-coverts and tail more barred than in winter. 
An example from Northern Asia is darker than the above ; the back and scapulars are greenish black, and the fulvous 
markings quite obscured. Wing 6-3 inches ; tarsus 1-9 ; bill to gape 1-85. Specimens arrive in the Andamans 
in September in summer plumage. 
Young chicle (Orkneys). Bill to gape 0 - 7 inch ; tarsus 1-0. 
Head and wings rufous, streaked with black; down the forehead and through the lores a black streak ; back buff, 
handsomely marked down the centre with black ; sides mottled with the same ; face and fore neck buff ; chin and 
breast whitish. 
In first plumage (June, Yarkand). “ Bill black at the tip, dusky grey at base ; irides very dark brown ; legs and feet 
dull orange-fleshy.” Older bird. “ Bill black at tip, greenish slaty at the base ; legs and feet greenish yellow, claws 
black ” (Scully). Wing 5-9 inches in this stage. 
On arriving in Ceylon birds of the year have the legs and feet yellowish red. 
The brown portious of the upper plumage have the feathers dark-shafted and the edges fulvous white, with subterminal 
margins and interrupted bars of blackish brown ; the wing-coverts are conspicuously marked in this manner, and 
the tertials have deep white indentations or interrupted bars ; upper tail-coverts more closely barred than in the 
adult ; the sides of the throat, fore neck, and chest with dark mesial stripes on a white ground, and the whole of 
the under surface and under tail-coverts with narrow drop-shaped marks of the same. 
When a little older, as seen during the winter in Ceylon, the wing-coverts have conspicuous whitish edgings and dark 
indentations, and the dark mesial lines on the fore neck are plainer than in old birds. The amount of white on 
the wing-coverts varies much at this time ; but the head, hind neck, and interscapular region are always uniform 
brown. 
Obs. This species has the webs more developed than its congeners; that between the middle and inner toe is quite as 
deep as the outer web in the Marsh-Sandpiper (T. stagnatilis). It has been placed in a separate genus ( Gambetta ), 
and might well stand in it ; but I prefer to keep it in Totanus. My measurements of Ceylon specimens do not 
quite equal those of individuals from other parts. Dr. Scully records males as — length 11 -0 to 12-0 inches, wing 
6-45 to 6*55 ; females — length 11-75 to 11-9 inches, wing 6-35 to 6-5. Dr. Armstrong finds that females are 
smaller— wing 5-8 to 6-1 inches, against 6-8 (?5-8) to 6-3 inches. This inferiority in size, however, is not 
constant ; a male in my collection measures 6’1 inches, a female 6-4 ; and, in fact, I have usually found females the 
larger of the sexes. 
Distribution. — The Redshank is an abundant cool-season migrant to Ceylon, and is more numerous, so 
far as I ascertained, on the east and north-east coasts than on the north-west. I met with it all over the 
Jaffna Peninsula, and at suitable places down the coast to Manaar. It was in goodly numbers at lllipekadua 
and in the Erinativoe Islands ; and on the great flats just to the north of the island of Manaar I also saw it. 
It is found at Puttalam ; but south of Chilaw it occurs, according to my experience, rarely and in few places. 
The only spots I have personally met with it were the islands at the foot of the Ncgombo Lake and the 
Pantura lagoon. In the Trincomalie district, and thence north to Mullaittivu it is very common, and as nume- 
rous on the borders of the great salt lake of Nilavele as anywhere in the island. It is found at the mouths ot 
the rivers all down the east coast, and also about the leways or salt lagoons in the A ala and Hambantota 
districts. I never met with it between Tangalla and Galle, nor to the north of the latter place ; and I have 
not seen it away from salt or brackish water, it being almost entirely a littoral species. It does not quit the 
island until May, and arrives in September. 
Jerdon states that it is found throughout the greater part of India in the cold season. It, however, 
appears to be rare inland. In the Deccan, for instance, we find it recorded as rare (Davidson) ; and the Rev. 
Dr. Fairbank does not mention it at all. Nor is it noticed as inhabiting the district lying between the Ganges 
and Godaveri, or Chota Nagpur proper, although it must inhabit the estuaries of rivers flowing through that 
region. It is very common on the Ilooghly and about Calcutta, being the most abundant species of its 
genus in the market there. In Furreedpore it is not common. In the north-west it is abundant, being freely 
diffused in suitable localities throughout Kattiawar, Guzerat, Kutch, and Jodlipoor, but more partial to the 
5 R, 2 
