THE SPOTTED SANDPIPER Totanus macularius (Linnæus) This American species has been recorded on several occasions in these islands. It is closely allied to the Common Sandpiper and resembles it in plumage, but in the spring dress it is more spotted on the under parts, and in autumn it is greyer above, and lacks the bronzy tint of our native bird. All the secondaries are barred with ash brown, whereas in the Common Sandpipers the eighth and ninth are nearly white. Length 7 in.; wing 4·2 in. THE WOOD SANDPIPER Totanus glareola (J. F. Gmelin) This species is a regular but somewhat scarce visitor to our shores on migration. In Ireland and the west it is extremely rare, but in the south-east corner of England it occurs in small numbers yearly, especially in autumn. Formerly a few pairs used to nest in one or two suitable localities, but they have long ceased to do so. In the west of Europe it does not breed south of the Baltic, but in the east it breeds in the valley of the Danube and also possibly in Northern Italy. The nest is placed on the ground in a marshy spot, and when they have eggs or young the birds are extremely noisy if their haunts are invaded. In this country it is generally found on salt marshes near the sea and very rarely inland. The sexes are alike: the back brown, spotted with white; upper tail coverts white; shafts of the quills dusky, except that of the _outermost one_, which is _white_. Under parts white, streaked with brown on the throat and breast, the flanks being barred with the same colour. Axillaries white. The young bird is similar, but the white spots are larger and more elongated, and the outer tail feathers are barred on both webs instead of on the outer one only. Length 8·5 in.; bill 1·1 in.; wing 5 in. GREEN SANDPIPER Totanus ochropus (Linnæus) This is a much commoner species than the last, and haunts inland streams, especially in the neighbourhood of trees and woods. It is most numerous during the autumn migration, but many pass the winter with us, and it has been suspected of breeding on more than one occasion, but positive proof of this has not been forthcoming. In the north and west of Scotland it is scarce, but otherwise it is widely distributed throughout the country. On the Continent it nests in marshy woods from the Arctic Circle southwards to Central Russia, Poland, and East Germany, its migrations extending to Africa in the winter. In its nesting habits it differs from all others Sandpipers, for it lays its eggs in the deserted nest of some other bird, generally that of a Thrush, Blackbird, or Jay. The eggs are greenish grey, with small brownish spots. Its food consists of worms and insects.