THING A TEMMINCKI. 
895 
on the lakes near the Arctic Ocean, on the islands in the river-deltas, and in the Stanowoi Mountains. 
Mr. Seebohm found a nest as early as the 24th of June on the Yenesay, and later on took its eggs on the 
islands of the delta in lat. 70|° and 7H°. It is interesting to know (if Severtzoff is certain of the fact) that 
it breeds in the mountains of Turkestan ; and should this he the case, it is just possible that T. subarquata 
breeds in Kashgar, as Dr. Scully was informed. 
In Europe Mr. Dresser found it breeding in the Uleaborg Islands off Finland, and gives the following 
account of it “I spent the 12th of June on the islands outside of Uleaborg, looking for nests, and found 
one of this bird on Akkio Island It was situated near the middle of the island, some twenty or more 
yards from the shore; and being placed where the grass was thick, it was not seen till almost trodden upon. 
It was a mere hollow in the earth, such as might be made by working the large end ot a hen s egg m so t soi 
with small hay-straws neatly arranged round the inside, and contained four eggs, all placet wit it P 1 J 
end towards the centre. Both birds were very fearless, and did not go from the nest, but every now an t n n 
flew up in the air and descended again in circles, fluttering like a Skylark, uttering at the same time a pecu lar 
churring sound, which they also emitted while sitting on any elevated place. A favourite perch of one of t em 
was a pole which had been set up for a pilot’s mark, hut had been broken off about 8 feet from the ground ; 
on this the bird would sit for a quarter of an hour at a time, churring all the time, and would allow me to 
approach within a few feet of it.” 
Mr. John Wolley, the celebrated oologist, in giving Mr. Ilewitson an account of its nesting, which was 
published in the latter gentleman’s 'British Birds’ Eggs,’ also speaks of this Stint’s interesting habits while 
rearing its young. He says : — “ Nothing can be more interesting or pretty than this little bird in the early part 
of summer ; it is so tame that one could often catch it in a net at the end of a stick. At one time it is hovering 
with its wings raised over its back, or floating about, and it reminds one rather of some insect than any other 
bird ; at another time it may be standing ou the top of a stone or stake, or the gable end of a cottage; and 
whether hovering or standing on its perch, it utters a constant trilling note, of which I can best give an idea by 
sayin- that it brought to my recollection the Grasshopper Warbler, though the resemblance is perhaps slight. 
When its eggs are very near, it sometimes runs about one’s feet, and, though it cannot but be anxious, it seems 
as busy as ever, picking gnats and other insects off the grass.” . . ^ Q , , , 
The eggs are four in number, and vary very much in ground-colour; a large series in Mr. Seebohm s 
museum now before me vary from greenish white to buff stone-colour, and also olive-grey, between 
which there are various shades of buff. The markings are usually rather small sharp-edged blots of deep 
brown mixed with smaller specks of the same, chiefly gathered about the large end, but not confluent or m 
the form of a cap ; and beneath them lie small spots of bluish grey. Some, however, have the large end tole- 
rably covered with large blotches ; but the markings on the rest of the egg, with one or two exceptions, are of 
the normal small size. In some of the buff eggs the blotches and spots are pale brownish red. The green 
eggs have the darkest colouring. As in other Waders, the markings take a diagonal direction round the 
middle of the egg. They are pyriform in shape, and range in dimensions between 1'15 and 1‘04 inch in 
length, and 0‘ 81 and 078 respectively in breadth. 
