It is somewhat remarkable, that whereas the Dunlin seldom, if ever, exhibits any violent variation in its plumage, such as a tendency to melanism or albinism, in the smaller race alluded to we have a constant and well-marked variation from the type.
The Dunlin.—Larger and smaller forms.
Neither the late Mr. Cordeaux nor Mr. Oxley Grabham—both of whom have had practically a life-long acquaintance with the Dunlin—have known any such violent variations as are just alluded to; nothing more, in fact, than the great variation in overall markings, which presumably gave rise to the name of Tringa variabilis, as applied by Bechstein and others.
Some time ago, while collecting on the Yorkshire coast, a heavy shot brought down some Knot (buff-breasted), several Dunlin, many of them in exceedingly beautiful breeding plumage (thanks to the lateness of the season), and also a solitary example of the "drain Dunlin," which so closely resembled the Little Stint as to be mistaken at the moment for that species. The markings of the back especially, coupled with the short measurement of bill and wings, almost suggested a possible case of hybridity; such, however, we feel sure, is not the case, but the specimen in question was Brehm's T. schinzii pure and simple.
The following list shows the comparative dimensions of
