History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

Totanus. BIRDS. PRESSIROSTRES. 103Quills 26, the first five dusky, the remainder increasing in whiteness fromthe tip. Tail feathers 12, rayed with black and white. The first and secondtoes webbed to the first joint, the second and third slightly webbed In thewinter dress, the plumage, above, is cinereous-brown, with dusky spots throat;and breast greyish-white,with fine brown streaks ; belly pure white Nest ofcoarse grass, upon hillocks in boggy places. Eggs 4, olive-brown, spottedwith black. The young have the plumage, above, brown, with yellow margins.Breast cinereous, with narrow brown streaks. Tips of the tail-feathers reddish.Base of the bill yellowish. The Redshank leaves the marshes afterthe breeding-season, and leads a solitary life on the sea-shore during winter.—The difference in plumage between this species and the Red-legged Sandpiperof Bewick (Brit. Birds, ii. 113.), which Montagu terms T. Beivickii, isso very inconsiderable, as to lead to the conclusion that they are identical.140. T. cchropus. Green Sandpiper.— All the tail featherswhite one-third from the base ; the two or three exterior onesentirely white, or with only a spot near the end.Tringa Aldrovandi, Will. Orn. 222 Tr. ochropus Linn. Syst.i. 250.Penn. Brit. Zool. ii. 463— Tringa glareola, Markwick, Linn. Trans, i.128. and ii. 325—Tot. och. Temm. Orn. ii. 651 In England from Augustto April, frequenting pools and streams.Length 10 inches; weight 3\ ounces. Bill an inch and a half long, dusky,tinged with green at the base. Legs dusky green ; the outer and middle toesunited at the base by a membrane. Lores with a brown and white band.Irides hazel. Quills 24, dusky the under : wing-covers dusky, with whiteV-like markings. Upper tail-covers, and beneath, white ; the neck and breastwith fine brown spots. Tail of 12 feathers, even at the tip, white, with thetwo middle feathers crossed with 3 or 4 black bands which diminish in numbertowards the lateral feathers. In winter, the plumage is paler, and thespots on the breast less distinct—Nest in the sand or grass on the marginof lakes or streams. Eggs 3-5, greenish, with brown spots. The young haveyellow dots on the back, the nape cinereous, the breast more spotted, andthe black on the tail more extended. Is not known to breed in this country.141. T. Glareola. Wood Sandpiper.— Tail, to the base, barredwith brown and white.Mont. Orn. Diet, and Suppl —Tot. glar. Temm. Orn. ii. 654 A wintervisitant of England.Length 9 inches; weight 2\ ounces. Bill 1| inches long, black, greenishat the base. Legs greenish, slender, 3 inches long from the knee to the tipof the middle toe, and the base of feathers one inch above the knee ; the outertoe connected at the base by a membrane. Irides dusky. Lores dusky,above white. Plumage above, brown, with whitish streaks. Throat, belly,and both tail-covers, white. Breast white, with longitudinal streaks of deepbrown. Quills black, slightly tipped with white, except the first three orfour : shaft of the first quill white ; under covers destitute of the V-likemarks. Tail cuneiform, of 12 feathers. The two or three outer feathershave the inner web white. In winter, the plumage is less distinctly— marked.Nest in marshes. Eggs 4, yellowish, with brown spots ? Young, with theplumage above having numerous red dots ; breast waved with grey, and spottedwith brown—The several instances of the occurrence of this bird recordedby Montagu, in his Supplement, indicate it as a winter visitant.— 142. T. macularki. Spotted Sandpiper. Plumage, below,marked with large rounded spots;the two middle tail-feathersplain.