Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, NIC-PAR

5?1
Nigricans.
562
Interpret.
563
Striata-
.564
Macularia
565
Cinerea.
566
Fuca,
567
Lincoloni
frtjis.
S6S
J-obata.
O R N I T H
Welsh sandpiper.—Blackish-ash ; chin and middle of
the belly white j base of the bill and legs red. . Plight
inches and a half long. Inhabits Glamorganshire and
Caermarthenshire.
Turnstone, Hebridalsandpiper, or sea-dotterel.— I>egs
red; body black, varied with white, and ferruginous ;
breast and belly white; bill black, a little turned up at
the tip •, cheeks and neck black above ; tail black in
the middle, and white at the ends. Female more dusky,
head varied with brown and whitish *, neck blackish
above. Though these are the usual characteristics, the
species is very subject to varieties. About the size of a
throstle *, length nine inches and a hall, and weight ra¬
ther more than four ounces. Inhabits the sea coasts of
Europe and America. Though not known to breed
with us, it visits some of our shores in August, and de¬
parts in spring. T.he name has been given it fiom its
manner of turning up the stones in search of worms and
marine insects. It makes a slight nest on the dry ground
or sand, and lays four olive-coloured eggs, spotted with
black. This species is not uncommon in the north of
Scotland.
Striated sandpiper.—Base of the bill and legs yellow,
tail feathers white, barred with brown 5 most of the
quill feathers white. Nearly 11 inches long. Inhabits
Europe and North America. Feeds on shell-fish and
mollusca, which it searches for at the ebb of the tides,
and on insects which it catches, hanging over the wa¬
ter like a swallow.
Spotted sandpiper.—Base of the bill and legs flesh co¬
lour j all the body spotted eye-brows and double band
on the wings white ; bill dusky } body above greenish-
brown, white, with dusky spots beneath •, two middle
tail feathers greenish-brown, the rest white, with dusky
lines. Female without spots beneath. About the size
of a thrush, and eight inches long. Inhabits Europe
and North America ; is migratory, and is sometimes,
though rarely, found in Britain
Ash-coloured sandpiper.—Cinereous above, white be¬
neath ; legs dusky green •, head spotted with black ;
neck with dusky streaks; back and wing-coverts with
concentric black semicircles, varied with cinereous and
white ; tail coverts black and white ; tail cinereous,
edged with white; breast spotted with black ; membrane
surrounding the toes narrow and toothed. Length about
10 inches; weight from four ounces and a quarter to
five and three quarters. This species, like most of the
tribe, is subject to considerable variety. It inhabits Eu¬
rope and America ; visits some parts of our coasts, in
large flocks, in winter, and departs about the latter end
of March or beginning of April.
Brown sandpiper —Pale brown, spotted yvith black
above, white beneath ; fore part of the neck streaked
with black ; tail cinereous ; wing-coverts edged with
whitish : bill and legs black. Size of a jack-snipe. In¬
habits England, but is very scarce.
Black sandpiper —White, varied withgrayand brown
spots above, with oblong brown and black spots be¬
neath ; two middle tail feathers all black. Size of a
thrush. Inhabits England, chiefly in Lincolnshire.
Gray phalarope, ox great coot-footed tringa.—Bill su¬
bulate, and bent in at the tip; feet pinnate; breast wa¬
ved with white; bill black; front white; crown dusky;
neck pale ash above; back, rump, and shoulders dove-
colour, with dusky spots ; wing-coverts and quill fea-
O L O G Y.
Gralla
571
thers brown; breast and belly white; tail dusky, edged
with cinereous ; legs black ; membrane round the toes
indented. Size of the common purre; weight one
ounce. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. Con¬
gregates about the borders of the Caspian sea, and is not
common in Britain. In stormy weather, it swims in
numbers on lakes; but in fine weather, is solitary among
the fens.
Red phalarope, or cock coot-footed tringa.—Bill subu- Hyperba-
lated, bent in at the tip; feet pinnate; breast cinere-rf'3
ous; sides of the neck ferruginous ; bill black ; band
through the eyes blackish ; bar on the wings white ;
rump with blackish bands. The female is gray above,
rufous beneath, with the eyebrows and base of the tail
reddish, and the rump white ; bill yellowish ; band a-
bove the eyes reddish ; bar on the wings white, and the
rump spotted with blackish. Eight inches long. Inha¬
bits northern Europe and America; but is rarely met
with in our own country. These birds go in pairs, and
catch insects in the water with their bill. They do not
dive, and are but bad swimmers. The female makes
her nest on dry ground, and lays four eggs.
Alpine sandpiper, ox dunlin.—Brown testaceous; breast Alpina
blackish; tail feathers whitish-ash; legs brownish; bel¬
ly white ; two middle tail-feathers a little longer.
Weighs from nine to eleven drams ; length of the lar¬
gest eight inches. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Ame¬
rica, and is not uncommon on our own coasts during
great part of the year. The female lays four eggs, of a
dirty white, blotched with brown round the thicker end,
and marked with a few small spots of the same colour on
the smaller end.
Green ox tvood sandpiper.—Bill dotted at the tip ; Ochropui,
legs greenish ; back brown green ; belly and outer tail
feathers white ; bill greenish ; crown and hind head
dusky ash ; rump variegated ; eyebrows white. Inha¬
bits Europe, North America, and Siberia. This ele¬
gant species weighs about three ounces and a quarter;
length full 10 inches. It is by no means plentiful in
Britain, and, except in pairing time, lives solitary. It
is never seen near the sea; but frequents rivers, lakes,
and other fresh waters. It runs on the shores, or skims
the surface of the water. It utters a cry as it rises, and
sometimes dives when pursued by the buzzard. It feeds
on the fry of small fishes and worms. Though its flesh
tastes somewhat of musk, it is considered as a great deli¬
cacy. It comes to us about the middle of September,
and leaves us as late as the end of April, when it de¬
parts northward to breed.
Shore sandpiper.—Smooth bill, and legs cinereous;
quill feathers brown, the shaft of the first snowy. Near
11 inches long. Inhabits Europe; and is ranked by
some ornithologists among British birds. > 573
Greenwich sandpiper.—Body varied above; neck ci- Grenovi-
nereous beneath ; belly, vent, and sides of the rump
white ; bill black ; legs greenish ; crown brown, streak¬
ed with black; neck ash-coloured beneath ; back and
wing-coverts brown ferruginous, edged with whitish ;
hind part of the back, rump, and lesser wing^coverts ci¬
nereous ; tail cinereous, the feathers waved towards the
tip, which is pale rusty. Size ot the preceding, but
very rare. The circumstance of one having been shot
near Greenwich, has given rise to the trivial name. 574
Sea or selninger sandpiper.—V aried above with gray
and black, white beneath ; legs yellow ; middle of the
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