Lo. [lee yi i i i . Wenn aa VARIA oot » Yew AA Ap a | ies ct eg Annan ae A nana” | Reeeannennans ADRenaassAgarsAn Zant hoee AREA NAAN | tf Aaah Rann ne abel ery 4 non san Missive eer ai S = A ce saan ‘or ca we May Vie -V- 7 Abie - ARa et nAAaaRANAARAA > NN ainina LAAaa AY VY AAA A Y ‘ ‘a yas ry Aan loos’ “AAA A A A, Ven AP ae SA noe aph sb NaeeooE ARR Spaeth \ AARRA AAA RLM WAR, teas tanec eR ; AAS ARANANT anne “ann iemannrr ; Aacenenr a V AAAAAAA AAR geanaann oat AAA eeaeee ae Tanase ebbponec ed” A AA Caan wh LEAN a JAA B we i B P AD pines NT AAA a ig aan AAA anecpamno Aaae Mae A aapslebeeeiisces Aad A AN ORAAN | RARAAAAAAAAR aaedaaeneeciis Aannnnan o~ W AY \ arn mnenc act ron AA? Pea Ran par pare Aono ARAMA RB AN fe RAR AAA ASA AAR AAAAAA A AA AR 27 a aa AR ie ARAMA RARAAAAY ~~ AAA ate oy ae Al ARACT ‘ AA VAN > NAAR Mannan nna AAAS AAR A mines piscsooee in y= AALS, BAAN AR SRA ARAAARAMAAA AZ -7>- INA} RAR AR AREA AAAS ARAR Aw ARAN A parr Aaa | AAA ac AaAnann ash a nan cece Amn Terma nan Laan AA” ai ore AA mn AAARARAR AAS AANA Ar aah ale AARA “4 an PR A EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR BREEDING-HABITS. feple viel C: Oly As. WITH 54 COLOURED PLATES. BY FRANK POYNTING. LONDON: R. H. PORTER, 7 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W. 1895-6. ALERE FLAMMAM, PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. LIMICOLA. CEDICNEMID&. (Edicnemus scolopaz. GLAREOLID A. Glareola pratincola. CHARADRIIDA, Cursorius yallicus. Cre Eudromias morinellus. Charadrius asiaticus. Aigialitis hiaticula. Ri 3 curonica. = cantiana. 5s vocifera. Kil Charadrius pluvialis. es fulvus. ie dominicus. Squatarola helvetica. Vanellus gregarius. Sociable Plover 5p vulgaris. Lapwing Strepsilas interpres. 'Turnstone Hematopus ostralegus. SCOLOPACIDA. Recurvirostra avocetta. Himantopus candidus. Phalaropus fulicarius. 66 hyperboreus. Scolopax rusticula. Gallinago major. celestis. 5 gallinula. Macrorhamphus griseus. Stone-Curlew Common Pratincole . Caspian Plover . Little Ringed Plover . Kentish Plover Golden Plover Eastern Golden Plover Grey Plover Woodcock Great Snipe Common Snipe . Jack Snipe . CONTENTS. am-coloured Courser . Dotterel . nged Plover . ldeer Plover . American Golden Plover Oyster-catcher . Avocet . Black-winged Stilt . Grey Phalarope : Red-necked Phalarope. Red-breasted Snipe . Pages in Text. 6 won e OorhBRaAwWaA WwW Oo oO LR ROaTNAL AOD Final Paging. 1-6 7-10 11-14 15-22 23-24 25-30 31-32 33-36 37-388 39—44 45-48 49-54 55-58 59-62 63-68 69-74: 75-78 79-84. 85-90 91-94. 95-102 103-108 109-114: 115-118 119-122 123-126 a2 Plate. ew iv CONTENTS. LIMICOL (continued). Sconoracip” (continued), Limicola platyrhyncha. Broad-billed Sandpiper . Tringa acuminata, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper ” maculata. Pectoral Sandpiper . fuscicollis. Bonaparte’s Sandpiper . alpina. Dunlin. . . , minuta. Little Stint minutilla. American Stint temmincki. Temminck’s Stint . subarquata, Curlew-Sandpiper . striata. Purple Sandpiper canutus. Knot . Calidris arenaria. Sanderling Machetes pugnaxy. Ruff. o> ome ichuere Tryngites rufescens. Buft-breasted Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda. Bartram’s Sandpiper . Totanus hypoleucus. Common Sandpiper . ” macularius. Spotted Sandpiper glareola, Wood-Sandpiper . ochropus. Green Sandpiper . . solitarius. Solitary Sandpiper . flavipes. Yellowshank calidris. Common Redshank fuscus. Spotted Redshank . canescens. Greenshank . Limosa lapponica. Bar-tailed Godwit . 9 belgica, Black-tailed Godwit . Numenius arquata. Common Curlew »” ” pheopus. Whimbrel . . borealis. Eskimo Curlew Pages in Text. 6 2 6 2 6 6 4 5 2 4 ay 3 4 3 5 5 4. 6 4 2 2 5 3 4 3 8 6 3 2 Final Paging. 127-1382 133-134 135-140 141-142 143-148 149-154 155-158 159-164 165-166 167-170 171-174 175-178 179-182 183-186 187-192 193-198 199-202 203-208 209-212 213-214 215-216 Oo WO WO oad SO wwoe eee ie Ow WDD WD W oo 2 B o © © WD & DAW KOH WD CR Or Re ww) - (oS) i ~ Ov we ee Co) Plate. PUIPEORS “NO@ ilk In order to justify the appearance of another work on British Oology, I may say that it is intended as an instalment towards supplying a want felt, I believe, by many naturalists. In existing works, however excellent, on British Oology, the figures of eggs assigned to each species are, as a whole, insufficient to show the range of variation, ‘There are several excellent works on European or General Oology, giving a much larger range of varieties, but in these, and in the earlier British works, the eggs of many species, unknown or unobtainable at the time of publication, are not figured at all. Not having found any work embracing British Oology which complied with the demands of naturalists in this matter of varieties, I have attempted to supply the deficiency in the present work, so far as regards the species it deals with. With the advantage of the great improvements now made in chromo-lithography I have endeavoured to supply accurately coloured figures of the eggs of the British Limicole, in sufficient variety, where possible, to enable the naturalist to form a good idea of what the eggs of each species are really like. I have endeavoured, as far as possible, to quote authorities who write from personal observation. By this means the text becomes, to a large extent, a record of birds’-nesting adventures, and will, I think, be more readable and trustworthy than if I had supplied a condensed account of the breeding-habits of the various species. In this connection I hereby acknowledge my great indebtedness to the various authors whose works and articles I have so freely laid under contribution. In the preparation of my plates I am much indebted to Mr. Herbert Massey, who has not only freely entrusted me with so many specimens from his splendid collection, but has also been at great trouble in selecting, packing, and sending vi AUTHOR’S NOTE. me the eggs from time to time, and in supplying me with the history of each specimen. For the loan of various valuable eggs I also owe hearty thanks to Messrs. E. Bidwell, R. W. Chase, H. E. Dresser, H. J. Pearson, J. H. Salter, and Dr. R. Williams. Mr. Dresser has, moreover, looked over some of the proofs and given me valuable advice and information, and Mr. Bidwell has kindly examined my drawings from time to time and advised me thereon. I have further to thank the following gentlemen for the offer of loans of specimens in the event of my extending the present work :—Messrs. J. Backhouse, B. Crabtree, P. Crowley, H. S. Davenport, H. E. Dresser, J. A. Harvie-Brown, Dr. H. Bendelack Hewetson, H. Massey, W. Newhall, F. W. Paple, H. J. Pearson, H. L. Popham, W. Mark Pybus, and F. B. Whitlock. To Prof. M. Menzbier, Mr. H. 8. Davenport, and Mr. H. Leyborne Popham, I am indebted for valuable articles and notes supplied to me for this work. Lastly, I have to express my thanks to Dr. G. Brown Goode and Capt. C. Bendire for permitting drawings to be made of rare eggs in the U.S. National Museum Collection; to the latter gentleman for selecting the specimens and for valuable information; to Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe and Mr. W. R. Ogilvie- Grant for courteous assistance in viewing the Study Collection of eggs in the British Museum; and to the firm of Mr. W. Greve for their wonderful repro- ductions of the original drawings. In this work I have, with few exceptions, adopted the scientific arrangement and nomenclature used by Mr. Howard Saunders in his ‘ Manual of British Birds.’ I have given the geographical distribution of those species only which do not breed within the British Islands, Worsley, Manchester. May 1896. INDEX TO SPECIES. Page Page AGH AOHS GUDRUTO 6 6 6 6 5 6 0 Ow Hematopus ostralegus . . . . . . 75 CHUMERs 6 G @ o & « 6 o Gil Himantopus candidus . . . . , . 85 == (hGH. 5 2 6 6 4 8 8 0 COGB se 56 0 6 8 3 o fo 0 GY Gill Gwig oo co 6 5 od ag o 6 My WAVOGEtMig na ts Molle? @ ch ya a ae en. IARI 5 6 6 6 & Oo mG ct 63 Bartramia longicauda . . . . . . 187 Limicola platyrhyncha. . . . . . 127 URMOSCUCIOtC Te EO Calidris arenaria. . . . .. « . L175 Wek) 6 2 6 « 5 6 « eae CHARADRITID AI "so a sos se ew © Ll (io 5 6 ¢ 6 6 8 «6 » CB Charadrius asiaticus . . ... . 20 ——. [lapponica, var. nove-zealandie]. 232 Gh, os 6 6 © 0 o o « 49 lqnelanunordes|| eee OO UID. 6 6 Ob > a 6 a oF o ¢& fUUONS 5 0 6 po 6 6 o 5 OY [ODER 6 6 0 0 6 6 6 BB Courser, Cream-coloured . . . . . Il Machetes pugnar ssn een aO Curlew, Common ..... . . 243 Macrorhamphus griseus. . . . . . 128 ; WEST gf 56 6 0 0 5 5 6 2B) (SAAT) 5 so oo 56 6 6 UAB ATONE 3B ae UG Mor oe 8 sor wm ss gl Curlew-Sandpiper . ... . . ~ 165 Numeniusarquata ..... . . 243 borealis 9.) nO —— [minutus] . . ... . . . 253 Ibid xe Go B o ao uo 6 o of Lh ——pheopus. . ..... . . 249 Diilitie — 6 6 6 ¢ o o 6 6 6 148) CHREGTHOS GON 56 6 0 9 » o o Ill CEDICNEMIDE . : 1 Eudromias morinellus . . . . . . 15 Cidicnemus scolopaz ...... IJ OVSGRGMEMP? 5 56 4 5 6 6 5b He Gallinago celestis . . ... . . Id GAUHI 0 6 a 6 0 2 © o Ally Janene, (Creny 6 5 56 6 0 0 oo oo Typ a « 6 6 6 6 0 o oily , Red-necked) =) 3) eee nD Glareola [melanoptera] . . : 8 Phalaropus fulicarius . . . .. . QI FORTE, 6 6 0 6 6 oo ek UO [yen UOT CUS rar -eer nO) GLAREOLIDE . ; 7 Plover, American Golden. . . . . 49 Godwit, Bar-tailed . SMe ae ee ee 5 Paseo Colt, 56 6 o 5 a “ih » Blaceawael 5 5 5 6 6 9 & cD =—— (Chygeinm 6 « 6 o 6 o 5 a BB 227 ———, degen Collan 5 co 6 5 «6 5 HB (GigsenminNs 5 6 5 6 @ oO 6 viii INDEX TO SPECIES. Page bya Eats Go 5 5 6 6 6 «o « GY) , (Greater Ringed] = . 9. = = 25 Say Gh oo o 0 og ot oe 6] 6D =———) Kentish 2 5. sea see EGO ————, Kalldecr 9) ist in cnn 4 ——-, Iinittle Ringed. 5 = 3 os ol lS 6b 6 8 8 0 6 6 5 Sociable: 31. eee era OO, ratincole;(Common iees- 1 een, Recurvirosira avocetta. . . . . . 79 iRedshanks; Commonici iene ametone Ler, Spotted! 9 tae.) ee eee eo Lites a foo ecn oo 6 eG LAY) Selb 8 5 6 6 6 5 1 o 6 liz Sandpiper, Bartram’s . . . . . . 187 POEM 5 5 5 5 o 4 9 Lehi —, Broad-billed . . . .. . . 127 ——, Buff-breasted. . . .. . . 188 =—=s/Common: . <=.) eee. 193 —,Curlew. ....... . 165 ——, Green. {. 1 [2 Sai COD ——, Pectoral 3. 2 5 5 = om © 135 JUNIO G Go 6 0 6 co 0 o LG ——, Sharp-tailed . . . . . . . 188 ——, [Siberian Pectoral]. . . . . 1383 = Solring Gp 56 a 6 6 5 oo Ble ———, Spotted: i) as mete mEEEL OO -——, Wood . . % s « «© © « 1203 SOMO 6 5 5 o 6 0 o 6 oY) Scolopax rusticula . . . . . . » 103 Snipe, Common. =) - ae enenenn ; Great ~~. 2, 3 2 ao =, Jack, . \s 5) seen LL 7 lved=preasted. .. |.) ease unnennl oc Squatarola helvetica .. ... =. 5d Stilt, Black-winged. . . . . . . 85 Stmt, American’. |.) 0a) ) ue eeenlOD 5 Eatile. -. * rae oe a 7 yn : - WOODCOCK, Scolopax rusticula, Linneus. Litho. Wilhelm. Greve, Berlin. 7 A § de F. Poyntin, WOODCOCK. SCOLOPACID. | SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA, Linyzvs. EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Wermland, Sweden, May 10, 1892. », 2 European. . Longtown, Cumberland, April 24, 1892. . Westmorland, April 22, 1891. . Teneriffe, April 6, 1892. . Tile Pill, Cumberland, April 4, 1892. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. O oF ® OO The Woodcock is a common winter visitor, an increasing number remaining to breed in the British Islands. Wirt reference to the Woodcock, Mr. Howard Saunders writes * :—‘‘ The annual ‘flights’ of this well-known species usually make their appearance in October, a return migration northwards being noticed in March, by which time the birds which intend to breed in our islands have betaken themselves to suitable coverts. Of late years, owing to the increase of plantations—especially of conifers —in the vicinity of cultivated ground, the number of those which remain has been greatly augmented ; nests having been found in all parts of England, and probably of Scotland and Ireland, except on some of the barest islands. ... . “The eggs—often laid early in March, though more frequently in April— are usually 4 in number; they are slightly pyriform, and of a yellowish-white colour, blotched with ash-grey and two shades of reddish-brown: average measurements 1°75 by 1:3 in. The nest is merely a depression in some sheltered place, a lining of dead leaves being added during the progress of incubation. It is notorious that the female often removes her young, although the manner has been much disputed ; the balance of evidence appears to be that the nestling is clasped between the thighs of the old bird and pressed close up to her body, sometimes even to the base of the bill. During the day the Woodcock rests in dry grassy bottoms, or beneath thick bushes—such as holly or laurel, but * * Manual of British Birds,’ pp. 553, 554. 2 SCOLOPACIDZ. at dusk and early in the morning, especially during breeding-time, the male per- sistently follows certain tracks along glades in woods—often called ‘ cock-roads ’ —uttering a deep as well as a whistling note; similar routes are also traversed by both sexes on their way to and from their feeding-grounds.” Mr. H. Seebohm gives the following amusing account of his visit to a Woodcock’s nest * :—‘‘ On the 18th of April, 1870, I went over from Sheffield to Edwinstowe, having received information from a gamekeeper that a Woodcock was sitting on four eggs in one of the Welbeck woods. I left the little inn at ten o'clock on a brilliant moonlight night, in the company of a woodman who had discovered the nest about a fortnight previously. The night was warm and still, and we did not meet a soul during our five miles walk through the forest, and scarcely heard a sound, except the occasional cry of a cock Pheasant awakened by our footsteps. Arrived at the spot the woodman pointed out a clump of last year’s bracken, under the spreading boughs of one of the old oak trees with which the forest abounds, and in the midst of a number of birch trees which the woodmen were engaged in felling. In the midst of this the nest was placed, on the ground, and was little more than a hollow scratched in the earth, and lined with a few leaves and a little dry grass. The bird did not leave her nest until I was within a few feet of her. After watching her disappear under the branches, I bent aside the bracken and looked at the four eggs. As I had never taken Woodcocks’ eggs before, I said to the woodman that I should like to carry them away; he replied that the gamekeeper knew of his having found the nest, and that if the eggs were taken he would probably lose his situation. The sight of a half-sovereign, however, developed his imaginative faculties, and he suggested that I should be satisfied with three of the eggs, and that fragments of the shell of the fourth should be scattered close to the nest, to convince the gamekeeper that the eggs had hatched out. This was accordingly done, and the three eggs were brought home to the inn in triumph. On my congratulating him upon the cleverness with which the theft had been made, he replied, ‘O yes, Sir; I would not have taken you if I had not known that we could have done it innocent.’ ” Mr. John J. Dalgleish supplied the following interesting notes on the habits of this species to Mr. H. E. Dresser, who published them in his ‘ Birds of Europe’ ¢ :—‘‘ My knowledge of the habits of the Woodcock extends principally to the central district of Scotland north of the Firth of Forth and to the western coast of Argyllshire. In the former, through the counties of Stirling, Clack- * ‘History of British Birds,’ vol. ii. pp. 234, 235. + Vol. vii. pp. 625, 626. WOODCOCK. 3 mannan, south of Perthshire, Kinross, and Fife it is generally distributed, but nowhere in great numbers, and almost always in cover, although I once killed one in a turnip-field. On my own property, near Culross, and within two miles of the upper reach of the Firth of Forth, and which contains about 500 acres of cover, there may be from ten to thirty killed annually, according to the season. Their numbers are of course greatly augmented in the winter, large numbers of immigrants being added to those which breed (as after mentioned): indeed I am not sure whether all of those we have in winter are immigrants, and that those which breed with us move further south in pursuance of their migratory instinct ; but this is a point very difficult to discover. In the district I now allude to, their numbers are much diminished on the appearance of severe frosty weather, when they appear to go to the coast, where they find the feeding-grounds more open ; if, however, the frost be slight, they remain. “On the west coast of Argyllshire they are found in greater numbers, and are not so much confined to covers, being found in open weather scattered through all the sheltered glens where there is any brushwood or even bracken. On the occurrence of frost, however, they all gather to the low-lying covers near the sea, where its influence serves to keep open the springs; and in such weather very large bags are often made, as they seem to come not only from the outlying spots ; above mentioned, but from the inland districts, where the frost has sealed up every one of their usual haunts. I have not beside me, but hope to send you in a few days, if not too late, a note of some bags made on such occasions. “Tn both of the above districts I have observed with much interest the evening flight of the Woodcock in summer, while they have young, and are engaged apparently in carrying food to them, flying back and forward from their roosting-places to their feeding-grounds. ‘These latter appear to be, in the West Highlands, generally near the shore, as the flight of the birds is generally directed towards it. While passing overhead thus in their semi-owllike flight, they constantly utter their peculiar double note, first a cheep and then a double croak, in quick succession. “The breeding of the Woodcock does not seem to have been observed in any of the districts above mentioned until within the last twenty years ; but in both it now breeds regularly, and in, I think, increasing numbers. “T have known of their nests from early in March to at least the 17th of May, when I have found fresh eggs; and thus I think it possible that they may bring up two broods in the season. ‘The eggs are generally placed in an open part of the wood, where there is little under cover, and where any decayed leaves may be lying, no nest being formed, the bird seeming to trust to their not being 4 SCOLOPACIDA. discovered owing to the manner in which they harmonize with the dead leaves. “T have had on three occasions the good fortune to see the Woodcock in the act of carrying her young. On the first occasion the bird rose from my feet one day in the month of June, in a thick coppice cover in Argyllshire, and flew with her strange burden carried between her thighs for about thirty yards, in the manner well described in a note in Mr. Gray’s ‘ Birds of the West of Scotland.’ On following her she again rose, still carrying the young one, and flew into some thick cover. On this and the next occasion, which was in Perthshire, the birds uttered no cry; but the last time I witnessed this curious habit, which was on the 5th of May last, the bird made the peculiar cry alluded to in the note in Mr. Gray’s work. On this occasion I could observe the bird more distinctly, as it was in an old oak cover, with very little underwood, where I discovered her. On rising she flew from thirty-five to forty yards, calling as above mentioned, and then, alighting among some grass, seemed to flutter along, still retaining hold of the chick. On raising her again the same manceuvre was repeated, only that the distance flown each time was greater, but always in the segment of a circle, as if she were unwilling to leave the rest of the brood. On returning to the spot where she rose at first, I discovered one of these, which was more than half-grown, the quill-feathers being well formed, and must altogether have formed rather a heavy burden. On taking it up it uttered a cry, which was at once responded to by the parent bird, although the latter did not again take to wing from the bushes into which it had ultimately flown.” Mr. A. O. Hume writes * :—‘‘ My friend, the late Mr. A. Anderson, found the eggs of the Woodcock on the Himalayas. The following is his account: he wrote :— “<*On the 50th of June I turned my face towards the snows in another direction, determined to consider my expedition a failure so long as the discovery of the breeding-habits of the Woodcock still remained a desideratum, which was one of the chief objects of my expedition. After two days’ stiff marching I pitched camp at a place called Kemo, at an elevation of some 10,000 feet, over and against Namick, which is celebrated for its salt-springs. ** Here my luck culminated; and I have probably to thank my fellow- traveller, Dr. Triphook (an ardent sportsman, and quite game to fag all day with his rifle or my collecting-gun as the case might require), for not only the most beautiful clutch of Woodcock’s eggs I have ever seen, but the first that have as yet been taken in this country. * «Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds,’ 2nd edition, vol. ii. pp. 349, 350. WOODCOCK. i) ““* We were following up a huge wounded Presbytis schistaceus (I was anxious to compare it with the Central-Indian form) through a dense undergrowth of Ringalls, when a Woodcock rose close to us, dropping again almost immediately, and disappearing in the cover. A diligent search revealed the long-looked-for prize, four eggs, which were deposited in a slight depression in the damp soil, and embedded amongst a lot of wet leaves, the thin ends pointing inwards and downwards into the ground. «The eggs found (I could see they were hard-set), I told Triphook I had no intention of leaving the place without bagging the bird. It was raining heavily and bitterly cold, with the thermometer down to 40°; but, fortunately for us, before we had had time to make ourselves comfortable under an adjoining tree, the bird flew back in a sort of semicircle, alighted, and ran on to her nest. No sooner down than she was off again, frightened, as I subsequently learnt, at one of our dogs, but which at first thought alarmed me not a little, as I imagined she was removing her eggs. After having satisfied myself that my suspicions were unfounded, it was decided that, as I had done my duty in finding the nest, shooting the bird should devolve on Triphook, and right well he did it, considering all the disadvantages which militate against having a snap shot in dense cover and in a thick mist. I never do anything but miss on such critical occasions ; at any rate I would rather some one else make a mu// of it than myself! “ 5) 6 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. Tryngites rufescens ( Vtetilot). J. Li. Ridgway de BUEEF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. SCOLOPACID&. | TRYNGITES RUFESCENS (Vizrztor). EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Point Barrow, Alaska, July 3, 1883; Maxfield and Guzman coll. No. 18993 U.S. National Museum Collection. 2. Point Barrow, Alaska, July 3, 1883; Maxfield and Guzman coll. No. 18995 ; U.S. National Museum Collection. » 3. Point Barrow, Alaska, July 3, 1883; Maxfield and Guzman coll. No. 18995 U.S. National Museum Collection. » 4 Point Barrow, Alaska, June 20, 1883; J. Murdoch coll. No. 18991 U.S. National Museum Collection. » 9. Point Barrow, Alaska, June 18, 1883; native collector. No. 18990 U.S. National Museum Collection. » 6. Point Barrow, Alaska, June 22, 1883; native collector. No. 18994. U.S. National Museum Collection. This American Sandpiper is a rare accidental visitor, there being about a dozen records of its occurrence in England, and one in Ireland. REFERRING to the geographical distribution of this species, Mr. Howard Saunders writes as follows * :—‘‘ In summer the Buff-breasted Sandpiper inhabits the Arctic and sub-Arctic portions of the American continent. A female obtained by Dr. Rae on June 14th at Repulse Bay, in the south of Melville Peninsula, is in the British Museum, as are also examples from Fort Simpson; many sets of eggs were taken by Mr. MacFarlane on the barren-grounds of the Anderson River district, and Mr. Murdoch met with this species nesting plentifully at Point Barrow in Northern Alaska, though on the Yukon and southwards to Sitka it appears to be uncommon. Mr. E. W. Nelson found it rather numerous on August Ist 1880 on the north coast of Siberia to the west of Koliuchin Bay, and says that the birds were evidently on their breeding-grounds there; while Dr. von Middendorff has recorded an example from the Sea of Okhotsk, shot on June 30th. On migration * «Manual of British Birds, pp. 587, 588. 2 SCOLOPACIDZ., it is found throughout the United States, though irregularly and rather sparsely in the north-east ; becoming more plentiful in Louisiana (where the specimen which Vieillot described was obtained), and thence southward to Mexico. It visits the Bermudas, Cuba, Trinidad, and probably other islands in the West Indies, passing the winter in South America down the Rio de la Plata.” Mr. R. MacFarlane gives the following notes respecting the Buff-breasted Sandpiper * :—‘ This species is common in the Barren Grounds east of Horton River and on the Arctic coast. Between the 26th of June and the 9th of July upwards of twenty sets of eggs were secured, and there were four in every nest, which was a mere depression in the soil, scantily lined with a few withered leaves and dried grasses. When the nest was approached the female parent usually made a low flight to a short distance.” Dr. Coues describes the eggs of this species as follows + :—‘ Of the very rare and scarcely known eggs of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper I have examined about a dozen sets in the Smithsonian, all collected by Mr. MacFarlane in the Anderson River region and along the Arctic coast to the eastward. They are very pointedly pyriform. The following measurements indicate the size, shape, and limits of variation: 1:50 by 1:05; 1:48 by 1:10; 1:45 by 1:02; 1°40 by 1:04. ‘The ground is clay, sometimes with a slight olivaceous or drab shade, oftener with a clear grayish cast, of rather peculiar shade. The markings are extremely bold and sharp, though not heavier than usual. ‘Taking a specimen in which the markings are most distinct, we find heavy blotches and spots of indeterminate size and shape all over the egg, but largest and most numerous on the major half of the egg, of rich umber-brown, deeper or lighter according to the quantity of pigment. Nearest these blotched varieties come the splashed ones, in which the markings mass more heavily about the larger end, and are elsewhere splattered over in rather small markings. This is the more frequent pattern; and in some cases the splashing hides the ground-color at the large end. Other examples are spotted with rather narrow markings that seem to radiate from the large end, becoming largest and thickest around the greatest diameter of the egg, and being much smaller elsewhere. All the eggs have the usual neutral or stone-grey shell- markings, and in most of them there are at the large end a few spots or scrawls of blackish over all the other markings. According to the labels, the nidification is not peculiar, the nest being a slight depression of the ground, lined with a few dried grasses or leaves. The eggs are four in a majority of instances.” * ¢ Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum,’ vol. xiv. 1891, p. 428. + ‘ Birds of the North-West,’ p. 507. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 3 Mr. John Murdoch gives the following details respecting the breeding habits of this Sandpiper, as observed by him at Point Barrow, Alaska *:—“ This is an abundant summer resident, and was more plenty in the season of 1883 than it was the year before. “They arrived both seasons in a body at about the same date (June 6 to 8), and were first seen on the dry banks below the village feeding greedily on the flies and beetles which were out sunning themselves. “‘ By the middle of June they had spread pretty well over the dryer parts of the tundra, both above and below the station. They were never seen on the lower marshy portions of the tundra, but always confined themselves to the high and dry banks, or what we called the black tundra. “The eggs, as might be inferred from their colors, are laid in the latter locality, as a rule, where they harmonize very well with the black and white of the ground and moss. We were unable to find the nest in 1882, but the next spring we collected the eggs in considerable abundance. Like the rest of the waders they build no nest, but deposit the four eggs, small end down, in a shallow depression in the ground lined with a little moss. Four is the usual number of eggs in a complete set, though we collected one set of five. ‘During the greater part of the breeding season, that is, from the time they arrive till the end of June, the males indulge in curious antics, which we had frequent opportunity of observing. “A favorite trick is to walk along with one wing stretched to its fullest extent and held high in the air. I have frequently seen solitary birds doing this apparently for their own amusement, when they had no spectators of their own kind. Two will occasionally meet and ‘spar’ like fighting cocks for a few minutes, and then rise together like ‘towering’ birds, with legs hanging loose, for about thirty feet, then drifting off to leeward. A single bird will sometimes stretch himself up to his full height, spread his wings forward, and puff out his throat, making a sort of clucking noise, while one or two others stand by and apparently admire him. They are very silent, even during the breeding season. When they first arrive they are to be found associating with Actodromas maculata for a few days. After the breeding season they disappear gradually, never gathering into flocks, but quietly slipping away, and none are to be seen after the first week in August.” * ‘Report of the International Polar Expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska: Birds,’ by John Murdoch, p. 114. f 7 BARTRAMS SANDPIPER. Bartramia longicauda (Bechstein). Litho Wilhelm Greve, Berlin Ban GRAM’S SANDPIEER:. ScOLOPACID. | BARTRAMIA LONGICAUDA (Becusreiy). EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. South Dakota, U.S.A., June 3, 1892. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. sir 2 Ditto. June 1, 1890. Ditto. St kOe Ditto. May 26, 1889. Ditto. ees Ditto. June 1, 1890. Ditto. ae ae Ditto. May 30, 1891. Ditto. This American Sandpiper is a rare accidental visitor, there being a few records of its occurrence in England and one in Ireland. Dr. CovEs writes *:—‘“ Bartram’s Tattler, or the ‘Upland Plover,’ as it is generally called by sportsmen, is a bird of wide and general dispersion in the Western Hemisphere, while its casual occurrence in Europe is attested, and it is even stated to have been found in Australia. It inhabits at different seasons nearly all of North America, and in winter pushes its migration even to Central and South America, as well as into the West Indies. But it has not, to my knowledge, been found in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains. It occurs in summer as far north as the Yukon, though thousands of the birds also breed within the limits of the United States. “On its presence and movements in the East I have made few observations, and know nothing beyond the general items familiar to all sportsmen who, with good reason, consider the Upland Plover, or Grass Plover, as a prime game bird, wild and difficult to secure, best hunted from a carriage, and capital for the table. It is said to breed from the middle districts, as in Illinois and Pennsylvania, northward. The principal shooting is done in August and September, as the birds move southward by the end of the latter month. ‘‘In most parts of the West, between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains, this Tattler, commonly known as the ‘ Prairie Pigeon,’ is exceedingly abundant during the migrations—more so than I can suppose it to be in settled * © Birds of the North-West,’ pp. 503-505. 2 SCOLOPACID#. portions of the country. In Texas, I am told, it occurs in flocks ‘ of thousands.’ In Kansas, during the month of May, it migrates in great numbers, being scattered over the prairies everywhere, and it is so tame that it may be destroyed without the slightest artifice; I have seen it just escape being caught with the crack of a coach-whip. Passing northward, it enters Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota the same month. About the middle of May it reaches the latitude of Fort Randall, with great numbers of Golden Plover and Esquimaux Curlew, flecking the prairies everywhere. Its breeding habits may be studied with perfect success in Northern Dakota, where it is the most abundant of all the waders. We can scarcely cross a piece of prairie, or travel a mile along the roads anywhere, without seeing it. Its gentle and unsuspicious ways, its slender and graceful shape, and the beauty of its markings, are all alike attractive, while the excellence of its flesh is another point not less interesting, but less favorable for the bird. Too many are destroyed at this season when they are pairing, for few can resist the tempting shots, as the birds step along the road-side or stand erect in the scanty grass, gazing at the passing vehicle with misplaced confidence. By the end of May those that are to breed further north have passed on, while the remainder have paired and are about to nest. “As soon as they are mated the pairs keep close company, being rarely beyond each other’s call, and are oftenest seen rambling together through the grass. At such times they seem very slender, as indeed they are, overtopping the scanty herbage with their long, thin necks, swaying continually in graceful motion. ‘Their ordinary note at this, as at other seasons, is a long-drawn, soft, mellow whistle, of a peculiarly clear, resonant quality ; but besides this, they have a note peculiar, I believe, to this period of their lives. This is a very loud, prolonged cry, sounding more like the whistling of the wind than a bird’s voice ; the wild sound, which is strangely mournful, is generally uttered when the bird, just alighted, holds its wings for a moment perpendicularly, before adjusting them over its back. It is frequently heard in the night, all through the breeding season, and is, I think, one of the most remarkable outcries I ever heard. ‘There is yet another note that the Tattler utters, chiefly when disturbed breeding ; this is a harsh scream, quickly and often repeated, much like that given by other waders under the same circumstances. “In Northern Dakota the eggs are mostly laid by the second week in June ; the time is quite constant; and, so far as I know, only one brood is raised each year. ‘Lhe nest, like that of other birds breeding on the open prairie, is hard to find, as there is nothing whatever to guide a search, and the herbage of the prairie, flimsy as it usually is at this season, is sufficient to hide the variegated BARTRAM’S SANDPIPER. 3 eggs which assimilate with the colors of their surroundings. The nesting is quite similar to that of the Curlews and Godwits. I have found nests on the open prairie without landmarks ; but, perhaps, oftener they are placed in the vicinity of pools and sloughs, or along the edge of a piece of woods—always, however, in an open spot. The female is a close setter, and will suffer herself to be almost trodden upon before she will quit her charge—indeed nests are oftenest found by the fluttering of the female from under one’s feet. Early in incubation she generally flies to a little distance and realights, walking leisurely about the grass; but if the eggs be far advanced she is more solicitous, and will feign lameness, in hope of drawing attention from the nest. The male soon joins her, and the pair hover low off the ground, flying slowly around with incurved wings, uttering their cries of distress; and as several pairs are usually nesting within hearing, they, too, become alarmed, and the general clamour is continued until the intruder with- draws. ‘The scene is much the same as when the breeding places of the Curlews, Willets, or Godwits are invaded. “The nest is flimsy—merely a few straws to keep the eggs from the ground, in a slight depression. ‘The eggs are ordinarily four in number, as usual among Waders. The numerous specimens I have collected are somewhat notably constant in characters, both of size and coloration. In dimensions they range from 1:90 by 1:30 inches, to 1:70 by 1:25, averaging about 1°75 by 1:28. .... “Young birds are abroad late in June—curious little creatures, timid and weak, led about by their anxious parents, solicitous for their welfare, and ready to engage in the most unequal contests in their behalf. When halfgrown, but still in the down, the little creatures have a curiously clumsy, top-heavy look ; their legs look disproportionately large, like those of a young colt or calf; and they may be caught with little difficulty, as they do not run very well. I once happened upon a brood, perhaps two weeks old, rambling with their mother over the prairie. She sounded the alarm, to scatter her brood, but not before I had secured one of them in my hand. I never saw a braver defence attempted than was made by this strong-hearted though powerless bird, who, after exhausting her artifices to draw me in pursuit of herself, by tumbling about as if desperately wounded, and lying panting with out-stretched wings on the grass, gave up hope of saving her young in this way, and then almost attacked me, dashing close up and retreating again to renew her useless onslaught. She was evidently incited to unusual courage by the sight of her little one struggling in my hand. At this downy stage the young birds are white below, finely mottled with black, white, and rich brown above; the feet and under mandible are light coloured; the upper mandible is blackish. 12 4 SCOLOPACID. * Although these Tattlers are generally dispersed over the prairies during the summer, yet they affect particular spots by preference. Away from the river valleys, such spots are the numerous depressions of rolling prairie, often of great extent, which are moist or even watery at some seasons, and where the vegetation is most luxuriant. Here they gather almost into colonies. Riding into some such spot in July, when the young birds are being led about by their parents, some old bird more watchful than the rest, or nearest to the person approaching, gives the alarm with a loud outcry, the young scatter and hide, and all the old birds are soon on wing; hovering in the air, often at a great height, crossing each other’s path, and ceaselessly vociferating their displeasure. I have often seen a dozen or twenty overhead at once, all from a little spot only a few acres in extent. Later in the season, when all the summer’s broods are on wing, they make up into flocks, often of great extent, and old and young together assume the ordinary routine of their lives. ‘They leave these northern regions early. I saw none after the forepart of September.” The late Dr. T. M. Brewer writes *:—‘‘ The usual call-note of the Upland Plover, when undisturbed, especially during the breeding-season, is a prolonged and peculiarly soft whistle. This is clear and resonant, and to those familiar with it is readily distinguished from any other. The call-notes vary somewhat in their character, and change as the season progresses, and may be heard during the night when the young brood has appeared. ‘These notes change yet more, and become intensified signals of alarm, when the young are threatened by danger. But under any and all circumstances these cries are peculiar to the species, and are unlike those of any of its tribe. ‘‘In Pennsylvania the eggs are hatched out early in June; and there, as elsewhere, only a single brood is raised in one season. ‘The nest is always placed in an open situation ; but, notwithstanding this circumstance, it is not easily found without the aid of a good dog trained for the purpose. In 1843, in company with my friend Baird, I searched in vain an open ploughed field for the nest of a pair we knew must be near. Its site was not found until after the young had gone— only a few days after our first search—the empty egg-shells showing where in the open field it was. The female must have kept closely to the nest, even when we were near her, while her mate was doing his best to delude us. The young are singularly beautiful little balls of soft down, a mottling of white, brown, and black. They are cared for by their parents until nearly grown, and from the shell instinctively hide themselves at the approach of danger. ‘The eggs of this * «Water Birds of North America,’ vol. i. pp. 299, 300. BARTRAM’S SANDPIPER. 5 species—always four in number—vary in length from 1°79 to 1°86 inches, and in breadth from 1:35 to 1:44 inches. Their ground-color is usually a deep pinkish drab, and over this are distributed small roundish spottings of a burnt-sienna tint. These are rather sparsely scattered over the smaller end of the egg, but become more densely aggregated about the larger portion. In others the ground-color is more of a cream-colored drab, without any perceptible shading of pink. In a few the ground is a pale pearly-white color, with a faint shading of cream- color. In these the markings are usually blotches of various shades of a purplish slate, much scattered, and overlain by spottings of a deep sepia, which become confluent at the greater end. ‘The shape of the eggs is a slightly rounded oval, strongly tapering at one end and rounded at the other; their number is uniformly four.” E oynting del GREEN SANDPIPER. Totanus ochropus (Linnaeus). Litho. Wilhelm Greve Berlin GREEN SANDPIPER. ScOLOPACID&. | TOTANUS OCHROPUS (Linyavs). EXPLANATION OF PLATE, 1. Sweden, June 1, 1883. In collection of Dr. R. Williams. 2. June 5. In collection of E. Bidwell, Esq. 3. Ditto. Ditto. 4. Sweden, June 1, 1883. In collection of Dr. R. Williams. 5. Sweden, H. W. Wheelwright coll. In collection of E. Bidwell, Esq. 6. Ditto. Ditto. 7. Sweden, May 28, 1891. In collection of F. Poynting. 8. Wermland, Sweden, May 18, 1891. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. s 9. Ditto. Ditto. LO: Ditto. Ditto. » ll. Wermland, Sweden, May 13, 1892. The Green Sandpiper is an irregular spring and autumn migrant to the British Islands. Pairs of these birds have been observed in this country in the summer months ; and, from evidence forthcoming, it is very probable that they may have bred with us, but as yet no proof of this has been obtained. Wit reference to the Green Sandpiper, Mr. Howard Saunders writes as follows * :—‘‘ This species is found nesting in marshy woods, from the vicinity of the Arctic circle southward to Central Russia, Poland and Germany, and reaching as far west as Holstein; while over the rest of the Continent it is well known as a migrant, and I have an adult female from Malaga, in the south of Spain, shot as late as June 24th. From autumn to spring it is abundant in suitable localities from Morocco to Egypt ; and, though not traced beyond Angola on the west side of Africa, it ascends the Nile valley to Abyssinia, continuing its course through the lake district to Cape Colony. In summerit is found throughout Asia from the Arctic circle to the great mountain ranges, while from July onwards it visits the rest of that continent down to Burma. * ¢ Manual of British Birds,’ pp. 595, 596. bo SCOLOPACID. «The remarkable deviation of the Green Sandpiper from the nesting-habits of other waders was first brought before the notice of the majority of British readers by Prof. Newton (P. Z.S. 1863, pp. 529-532); but an intimation of its preference for trees had been given in ‘Naumannia’ for 1851-52, and Forester Hintz had communicated full details (J. f. O. 1862, p. 460) respecting its nidification as observed in Pomerania from 1818.” Mr. H. E. Dresser has published an excellent account of the nidification of the Green Sandpiper as observed by Forester W. Hintz in Pomerania. Mr. Dresser writes * :—“The Rev. Herbert S. Hawkins has placed at my disposal a letter from Mr. Hintz respecting the nidification of the present species, from which I translate the following:—‘ The bird arrives here in pairs from the beginning to the middle of April, and selects for the purpose of nidification wooded localities close to ponds, from which it makes excursions to marshy lakes or rivers at some distance. It usually deposits its eggs in old deserted nests of the Blackbird and Missel-Thrush ; but I have on one occasion taken eggs out of a nest of the latter species which had beea left by the young Thrushes only six days previously. It also not unfrequently uses the same nest two years in succession. I have found its eggs in old half-ruined nests of Woodpigeons, Jays, and even in those of the squirrel, on the ground, on the moss, on old stumps with only a few leaves under the eggs, and on one occasion on the branches of an old pine tree in a place where the spines were heaped together, and once even in the hollow of an aspen tree where a Starling had previously bred, the tree having fallen and the opening of the hole being upwards. Formerly I used always to look for the nests of the Green Sandpiper low down, and usually found them from 3 to 12 feet above the ground; but of late years I have taken eggs as high up as 35 feet. The bird always nests close to ponds where even in summer there is some little water; and only on two occasions have I found the nest as far distant from the water as 20 to 30 paces. As soon as the young are hatched they jump down to the ground. The present species breeds early, often in the middle of April, usually in May, or, if the eggs are taken, in June, the second lot of eggs being occasionally, though not often, deposited in the same nest.’ Borggreve states that Mr. Hintz once found seven eggs of this species in an old Thrush’s nest at Neustadt Eberswald ; and he surmises that two females must have laid in the same nest, which I think most probable.” The late Mr. H. W. Wheelwright, describing the nesting habits of this * «History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. vill. p. 141. GREEN SANDPIPER. 5 species as observed by him in Sweden, says * :—‘‘ Now of all our waders this is the noisiest, and there is little trouble in finding the locality where it breeds, for the old male is always about some brook in the neighbourhood, and I have before noticed that the loud wild cry of the Green Sandpiper and Greenshank are much alike. .... In Sweden the Green Sandpiper never makes a nest on the ground, like the rest of its congeners, but invariably lays its four pyriform large eggs—of a very light ground colour, spotted all over, sparingly towards the small end (at the top the spots are much larger, darker, and crowded together), with two shades of purple and umber brown—in an old deserted nest of a squirrel, jay, or crow (I once, however, saw them in a new common thrush’s nest), in the forest, often far from water, always in a fir tree, sometimes forty feet from the ground. How the old bird takes her young down to the ground I cannot say, but I once found four very small young ones, apparently not a day old, at the foot of a fir, and in the nest I found shells of the eggs still wet inside.” The late Mr. E. T. Booth met with this Sandpiper in Yorkshire in the month of June, under circumstances which pointed to the strong probability of its breeding there. He writes ¢:—* The furthest north that I met with this Sandpiper was in the valley of the Esk, a few miles inland from Whitby in Yorkshire; parts of the wild glen through which the river flows towards the North Sea were densely wooded, and these proved to be favourite resorts of the birds. When alarmed they frequently appeared to fly out from the upper branches of some of the larger trees ; being, however, at that time unacquainted with the breeding-habits of this species, I made no attempt to search for any nests in which their eggs or young might be concealed. ‘These observations were taken early in June 1862, the time of year at which the birds might naturally be supposed to be engaged in breeding- operations.” Mr. H. Seebohm gives the following description of the eggs of this species { :—‘ Four is the full clutch of eggs, which vary in ground-colour from creamy white to white with the faintest tinge of olive on the one hand, and to very pale reddish brown on the other. The surface-spots are dark reddish brown, generally most numerous on the large end of the egg, and seldom larger than no. 4 shot; the underlying markings are similar in size and distribution, but are pale greyish brown in colour. They vary in length from 1:6 to 1:5 inch, and in * «Ten Years in Sweden,’ by ‘‘ An Old Bushman,” p. 373. + ‘Rough Notes on Birds observed in the British Islands,’ vol. ii, + ‘History of British Birds,’ vol. iii. p. 128. 4 SCOLOPACIDZ. breadth from 1:15 to 1:05 inch. In general appearance they most nearly resemble eggs of Bartram’s Sandpiper and the Common Sandpiper, between which they are intermediate in size.” Mr. H. E. Dresser says that the measurements of three clutches of eggs in his collection, obtained from Pomerania, vary from 1:6 by 1:15 inch to 1:47 by 1-1 inch.* * «History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. viii. p. 142. SPOTTED REDSHANK. Totanus fuscus (Linnewus). Litho Wilhelm Greve Berlin SPOTTED REDSHANK. SCOLOPACID&. | TOTANUS FUSCUS (Linyavs). EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Tornea Lappmark, June 11, 1891. S50 ee Ditto. June 1, 1893. Cn O08 Ditto. June 8, 1891]. ‘ sf co a a ae In collection of H. Massey, Esq. » 6. Kittila, Finland, June 3, 1888. oe Ditto. » 8. Lapland, June 13, 1881. . Kittila, Finland, June 8, 1888. In collection of Dr. R. Williams. » 10. Lapland, June 12, 1885. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. », ll. Lapland, June 19,1891. In collection of Dr. R. Williams. ssulies Ditto. Ditto. . S Ne} The Spotted Redshank is an irregular spring and autumn migrant te the British Islands. Mr. Howarp SaunDERS writes as follows, respecting the geographical distribution of this species *:—‘‘In summer this species inhabits the northern portions of Scandinavia and Russia; the birds which intend to nest there arriving in May, though migrants have been noticed passing northwards over Heligoland as late as June 17th. It crosses the Continent by several routes, its winter quarters commencing in the basin of the Mediterranean and extending to Cape Colony. In Asiatic Siberia it is somewhat irregularly distributed, but Dr. von Middendorff found it breeding on the Boganida, while eastward it ranges to Kamschatka ; and during the cold season it visits Japan, China, Burma, India, &c.” Mr. H. E. Dresser writes ¢:—‘‘I am indebted to Professor Newton for the loan of a letter, addressed to Mr. Hewitson, under date 17th October, 1854, by Mr. Wolley, who, without taking any credit to himself for being, as he certainly * ¢Manual of British Birds,’ p. 604. + ‘ History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. vii. pp. 170, 171. 2 SCOLOPACID&. was, the first ornithologist to discover the eggs of this Wader, modestly announces his discovery as follows :— “«T expect that henceforth the Spotted Redshank will always start up in my memory at the first mention of Lapland. It is so peculiar to the country, so remarkable in its appearance in summer, and so often calling attention to itself by its striking actions—whilst my ignorance of its nest and eggs for a whole year after my arrival in the far north kept up in me during that time the liveliest interest concerning it. A bird with so much character was easy to talk about. I soon found that it was known amongst the people by several names, all more or less expressive ; and in my drives about Finland and into Norway during the winter I had heard from so many quarters accounts of its nesting-peculiarities, that I only waited for its return here to see them confirmed. It does not keep one long in suspense. It comes as soon as the snow is off the ground, and lays its eggs with very little delay. At this time one may hear a singular call in the marshes, which the Finns express by the sound veevat, corresponding to a word in their language meaning an evil spirit; and one of the names of the bird is taken from it—a name always spoken with a spiteful emphasis by Reindeer-stalkers ; for this ‘ Riviittu’ is as mischievous to them as a Grey Crow is to a Highland forester, or a Gull to a seal-shooter. But the cry with which it spoils their sport is tHeuty; and from this another name is derived, generally coupled with the distinctive epithet corresponding to black, or with one meaning burnt wood; but whether this last is taken from the colour of the bird, or from a common place of resort for it, or from both, I am not sure. Certain it is that this black bird not unfrequently lays its eggs in a part of the forest which has formerly been burnt; and here is one of its most unexpected singularities—a marsh-bird choosing the driest possible situation, even hills of considerable height, and covered with forest- timber. I have myself seen two nests so placed ; and one of them at least was on eround which, from the charred wood lying about, had evidently been burnt at some former period. They were nearly at the top of long hills, many hundreds of yards from any marshy places, good-sized fir trees on all sides; but they were not in the thickest parts of the forests, and the vegetation on the ground about was very scanty, diminutive heather and such like plants growing thinly amongst reindeer lichen in slight depressions on the ground —placed near some little ancient logs, so nearly buried, however, as to afford no shelter, the bedding only a few dry leaves of the Scotch fir. The bird sits sometimes so close that one is tempted to try to catch it in the hand, its white back conspicuous as it crouches with its neck drawn in. It either gets up direct or runs a short way before it rises; and then it flies round with an occasional tjewty, or stands upon the top of ——————— eee os SPOTTED REDSHANK. a neighbouring tree, showing the full length of its slender legs, neck, and bill. But it is not till it has young that all its powers of eloquence are fully brought into play: it then comes far to meet any intruder, floating over him with a clear cry that echoes through the forest, or that is heard over a great extent of marsh, or it stands very near one, bowing its head, opening its beak quite wide in the energy of its gesticulations. The eggs, four in number, are of a rich green ground-colour when fresh, or sometimes of a bright brown. This year they were laid hereabouts at the end of May. The young are probably carried into marshy land as soon as they are hatched; for there they are whilst they are still very small. Iam told that dry mounds rising out of swamps are sometimes chosen as breeding-places. The nests I have described were found quite by good luck, stumbled upon in walking through the forest, where the bird is scattered usually at rather wide intervals; one may see two or three pairs in the course of a long day’s walk. It is so wary that I have never succeeded in watching it to its nest.’ ” Mr. H. Seebohm describes the eggs of this species as follows *:—‘‘ The eggs of the Dusky Redshank are four in number, and are laid late in May or during the first half of June, sometimes later, according to season; they are very handsome, and vary in ground-colour from pale green to pale brown, heavily blotched and spotted with rich sepia-brown, and with underlying markings of violet-grey and brownish grey. On many eggs a few very dark brown hair-like lines and scratches occur on the large end. Some eggs are so richly marked as to hide almost all the large end ; others are more evenly spotted over the entire surface. The markings are generally bold and very clearly defined. ‘The eggs are pyriform in shape, and vary in length from 1°95 to 1:8 inch, and in breadth from 1:35 to 1:25 inch. They cannot readily be confused with those of any other British bird. Eggs of the Great Snipe perhaps resemble them most closely, but they are never so green, and. are, on an average, slightly smaller.” Mr. H. E. Dresser states that the measurements of a series of twenty eggs of this species in his collection, obtained in Lapland, vary from 1:95 by 1:27 inch to 1:8 by 1:22 inch.f * ¢ History of British Birds,’ vol. iii. p. 147. + ‘History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. viii. p. 172. PRA 3 Pe Cod as: Tus work will illustrate all the known eggs of British Birds comprised in the Order Limicolz, which includes the Plovers, Snipes, Sandpipers, &c. In order to adequately figure the interesting varieties of eggs of this order of birds, about 54 Plates will be required, 7. ¢. at least one Plate for each species. The authorities of the U.S. National Museum, Washington, with their characteristic generosity, have permitted drawings to be made by Mr. J. L. Ripeway from their unique series of rare eggs specially for this volume. The remaining drawings, chiefly by the Author, and executed with the ereatest care and fidelity to nature, have been made from authentic specimens in our own Natural History Museum, South Kensington, and in various private collections. Recognizing the importance of utilizing the highest class of chromo- lithography to faithfully delineate Birds’ Eggs, the Author has entrusted the reproduction of the original drawings to the justly celebrated firm of W. GREVE, Berlin, believing that portraits of eggs will thus be presented to the public which, in point of truth and delicacy of finish, have hitherto been unequalled. Judges of genuine chromo-lithography will be able to test, from an examination of the Plates herein contained, whether or not this belief as to quality is justified by results. The impressions, limited to 300, will be taken by handpress work, which is without doubt much superior to the best class of steampress work. The letterpress will give ample details (where known) respecting the nidification of each species; and with a view to giving an “ open-air” or “ field” character to his text, the Author has mainly quoted those authorities who write from personal observation. The work will be completed in Four Parts, and only 250 copies will be available for Subscribers. The price of the complete work to those Subscribers who pay on the issue of Part I. will be Four Guineas net, or Twenty-five Shillings net per Part if the same are paid for as issued. No separate Parts will be sold, as Subscribers’ names are only received for the entire work. A List of Subscribers’ names will be issued with the concluding Part. The Plates all being far advanced towards completion, it is reasonably expected that the four Parts will be issued before April 1896. Part IV. will contain extra Plates of Eggs of Grey Plover and Little Stint, taken this year (July 1895) on Kolguev Island by Messrs. Henry J. and Charles E. Pearson. PART II] {NOVEMBER 1895. Soo OF BRIER BIRDS PiMtCOoLA. (PLOVERS, SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, &c). BY FRANK POYNTING. CONTENTS. CreaM-coLourED CoursEr (Cursorius gallicus). Doni (Tringa alpina). Eastern Goipen Prover (Charadrius fulvus). Sanprrgtine (Calidris arenaria). Larwine (Vanellus vulgaris). Srorren SanppiPer (Totanus macularius). Turnstone (Strepsilas interpres). Common RepsHanx (Totanus calidris). Common Syive (Gallinago celestis). Bracx-rartep Gopwir (Limosa belgica). Rep-sreasteD Syiee (Macrorhamphus griseus). Wuimsret (Numenius pheopus). BrRoav-BILLED SanpPiPeR (Limicola platyrhyncha). MAY 4.6 1914 © 223638 LONDON: R. H. PORTER, 18 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W. ~ Price £1. 5s. net. (Lo be published in January 1896.) Rincep Proven «=. =S- ~S- Ss figures of eggs. Lirtie Rincep Plover . ss. J 3) zs 7 > Kentish Proven. aya ‘ 5 pigbiest ¢ Kitnper Piover : Saag : Gas va a * aa Grey PHanarore Bi sate A iho! Tos acc eee 5 | é Rep-neckep PHALAROPE . 2 5 ie aye Ley ns Sty 5 QE eg SS lb Yue ah BoNaPAaRTE'S SANDPIPER . : xine.) a :. AMERICAN STINT L aaa . 6 ern Ne PRT UN ee ee Ree SS Common CurLEW. (2 Pistes.\iic BOS aae HeeING OMRLEW: =<. 9 0) Litho. Wilhelm Greve Berlin CREAM-—COLOURED COURSER,. Cursorius gallicus (7. F. Gmelin) F. Poynting del CREAM-COLOURED COURSER. CHARADRIID&. | CURSORIUS GALLICUS (J. F. Guetiy). EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, March, 1891. ees Ditto. Ditto. March 5, 1889. | In collection of es Ditto. Ditto. March, 1891. | H. E. Dresser, Esq. mn oA Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. » ». Tefia, Fuerteventura, Ditto. Feb. 7, 1891. SOs Ditto. Ditto. Feb. 11, 1891. This species is an accidental visitor, about twenty examples having been obtained in Great Britain. There is no record from Ireland. REFERRING to this species, Mr. H. Saunders says * :—‘‘ In the west its true home commences at the Canary Islands, on some of which, especially Fuerteventura, the bird is fairly numerous; while eastward it inhabits Africa north of the Sahara -—where Canon Tristram obtained the first eggs on record, and southward it is found in Kordofan, as well as on both sides of the Red Sea. Through Arabia we follow it to Persia, Baluchistan, Northern India, and Afghanistan.” Mr. A. O. Hume writes ¢ :—‘ I believe that the first really authentic eggs of the Cream-coloured Courser ever obtained were those procured for me in 1868 by Khan Nizam-ood-deen Khan, the well-known Punjab sportsman, in the neighbourhood of Urneewalla in the western portion of the Sirsa District.” After quoting the notes he had previously published on the subject, detailing the circumstances under which he had received these eggs from the Khan, Mr. Hume continues :—“‘ Since this appeared, the Khan Sahib has taken nearly one hundred eggs of this species, and I have myself visited his domains and taken more than a dozen with my own hands....... July was the month in which I found them, and it is in this month generally that the great bulk are found ; but the Khan has taken them from the middle of March to the middle of * «Manual of British Birds,’ p. 520. tT ‘Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds,’ 2nd ed, vol. iii. pp. 325-327. MMAY 1 6 1914 2 CHARADRIID#. August, and the laying-season varies a good deal according to the rains.’ According to the Khan Sahib’s diary, quoted by Mr. Hume, the nests were found amongst stubble, on waste and cultivated land, amongst grass, in scrub-jungle, &c. Mr. Hume continues :—‘ The nests, he tells me, have always been small hollows, 8 to 5 inches in diameter and at most 2 inches in depth; generally bare, at times with a slight lining of dry grass, which may have been placed there by the bird or may have lodged there accidentally. Three is the greatest number he has yet found in any nest, and this only exceptionally. Two he considers to be the usual complement. ... . The eggs vary very much in size, from 1-1 to 1-28 in length, and from 0:9 to 1:04 in breadth; but the average of fifty eggs carefully measured is 1°2 by 0°96.” [have examined 24 clutches of eggs of this species, kindly lent me for the purpose by Mr. H. W. Marsden, of 40 Triangle (West), Clifton, Bristol. Each clutch consisted of two eggs, and they were all obtained on the island of Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, in February 1891. They vary in ground-colour from pale creamy buff to light stone-buff, and are mostly thickly freckled with minute “ niggling” spots and streaks of brown of varying intensity, sometimes distinct, but generally ill-defined. On some eggs the markings are not so close and reveal the ground- colour plainly, whilst on others these are so close as to almost hide it. Sometimes the darker markings are clustered thickly round the larger half of the egg so as to form a zone. Occasionally the markings take the form of small ill-defined patches or clouds of brown colour. Nearly all the eggs have small faint underlying patches or streaks of bluish grey. These 48 eggs varied in length from 1°52 to 1:23 inch, and in breadth from 1-15 to 1:0 inch, averaging 1°57 by 1:07 inch. The eggs obtained in India by Mr. Hume are smaller and darker than those described above. Mr. E. G. Meade-Waldo, referring to a visit to Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) in 1888, writes *:—“The Cream-coloured Courser (Cursorius gallicus) was fairly numerous and breeding ; it seemed to prefer the barest parts of the desert, where the stones were mostly small. It had bred very early, for on the 23rd of March I saw a young bird almost able to fly, and also found a small young one. The old birds did not make any fuss when I was close to their young or eggs, simply running away and, when I approached, going a little further, generally creeping about 50 yards off. The eggs were very difficult to find, the only guide to their whereabouts being the scratches made by the old birds before finally fixing on a suitable place to lay.” * « Notes on some Birds of the Canary Islands,” ‘ Ibis,’ 1889, p. 11. CREAM-COLOURED COURSER. 3 Referring to a further visit to the Island of Fuerteventura in February 1889, Mr. Meade-Waldo writes * :—‘ I think I got on a little better this year at finding the nests of Cursorius gallicus, but they certainly are very difficult to discover. This is caused by the perfectly open country, the bird being of the same colour as the ground and never flying or betraying uneasiness, and the eggs being exactly like the stones that cover the plain. ‘There is really no nest, the bigger stones being just moved away to make room for the bird to sit on the two eggs. I had promised Mr. Sharpe to get him a pair, with the eggs and ground on which the eggs had been laid, for a case in the Natural History Museum. ‘Two or three days after our arrival a goatherd said he knew of one, and offered to show it to us. It seemed very wonderful how he could walk about three miles over ground, without any landmark to speak of, to two eggs that he had seen a few days before and thought no more about, never dreaming anyone could want them; however, he took us straight to them. ‘This man did not know, until I spoke to him, that I was after eggs of any kind. I shot the hen, and proceeded to mark out the ground for removing, when the man, wondering what on earth we were at, walked up and put his foot on the two eggs!! ‘This was singularly annoying, and we were eight days before we found another nest, and had almost begun to despair of ever getting one. However, eight days after this misfortune I got a nest, eggs, and parent, and also a pair of beautiful little young; the young are much easier to find than the eggs. The hen only remains at the nest whilst she is sitting, the cocks either go about in little parties or mix with birds which are not breeding. When the young are hatched, however, both parents care for them, the male being rather shier than the hen. While running about, it is easy to tell the cock from the hen; he carries himself much higher and seems to have a bigger head; when shot this difference vanishes. ‘The males breed in their first year, as two I shot were in partly spotted plumage ; nevertheless many do not breed at all, and I saw flocks of from fifteen to forty birds whilst others had eggs or small young. In flocks they were very wild, and reminded one generally of Lapwings; they skim a great deal with outstretched motionless wings. Their voice is a low gua qua when they have young. “ When shot the Cream-coloured Courser ejects a lot of brownish fluid out of its mouth, which soils its feathers very much. I fancy this is natural and voluntary. Where they most frequent this fluid may be seen in patches, and a pair of young ones that I kept alive for three days ejected some of it when quite undisturbed and apparently at their ease. ‘This little pair I tried to rear, and * “ Further Notes on the Birds of the Canary Islands,” ‘ Ibis, 1889, pp. 505, 506. M 2 4 CHARADRIIDZ. think I should have done so, had it not been that they wanted almost ceaseless attention, and I could not spare the time. They ate flies, small snails, and cochineal-bugs, also small pieces of lizard. They ran at a great rate, holding themselves very upright, with their wings stretched out wide. I, greatly against my inclination, converted them into skins. I think they were about five days old.*. . «axe “The eggs of both Courser and Bustard vary greatly in size and colour; the Courser seems never to lay more than two.” In his “ List of Birds observed in the Canary Islands,” Mr. Meade-Waldo further writes *:—‘ The Courser is common and resident in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, and occasionally met with in Gran Canaria. About 1000 eggs of this poor bird were taken in the spring of 1891 in the island of Fuerteventura and sent to Europe, by far the greater number to England. Of course nearly double the number were destroyed, as the eggs that were incubated would all be thrown away. It is sincerely to be hoped that the market has now been glutted, and that the eggs will have so fallen in value as not to be worth taking again. At the price of two and even three pesetas apiece, that was offered for them out there, nearly the whole population (including, I have been assured, some of the priests) turned out egging, and probably pretty well cleared the whole of the nests for that season. It is possible there may have been an extra number of birds in 1891, but in the three breeding-seasons that I spent in the island, though there were numbers of birds, not nearly all were breeding. Possibly after the very wet winter of 1890-91 there was a greater abundance of food, and so a larger number of pairs nested. It is not always the birds of the previous year that do not breed, as a cock of a breeding-pair that was shot was in half-immature plumage.” * « Ibis,’ 1893, p. 203. nan-Fisher de EASTERN GOLDEN PLOVER. Charadrius fulvus, J. F. @melin. EASTERN GOLDEN PLOVER. CHARADRIIDA. | CHARADRIUS FULVUS, J. F. Gmetin. EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Yenesai, lat. 694°, July 1877; H.Seebohm coll. Natural History Museum, South Kensington. » 2. Yenesai, lat. 713°, Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Only two occurrences of this species in the British Islands are recorded: an example said to have come from Norfolk was found in Leadenhall Market in 1874, and another is recorded as having occurred in Orkney in 1887. Mr. H. Seesoum, who obtained the only authentic eggs of this species known to naturalists, writes *:—‘‘The Asiatic Golden Plover breeds on the tundras of Eastern Siberia, from the valley of the Yenesay to the Pacific. It passes through Japan, South Siberia, and Mongolia on migration, and winters in India, the Burma peninsula, China, the islands of the Malay archipelago, Australia, and the islands of the Pacific Ocean. It has been known to stray as far as New Zealand in the east, and to the Mekran coast, Malta, Algeria, Poland, and Heligoland in fheHwest: 23.2): “The Asiatic Golden Plover, like its cousin the Common Golden Plover, is a bird of the tundra, frequenting the vast solitudes that are such a characteristic feature of the Arctic regions. It spends its winters in southern latitudes, and arrives on these Arctic tundras as soon as the south wind melts the snow and calls the slumbering country into life. In its habits it very closely resembles its near ally in Europe. It walks and runs about the ground, or wades into the shallows in search of its food, which consists principally of insects, worms, and slugs in summer, and of various small marine animals, insects, &c. in winter. Its flight is very similar to that of the Golden Plover, and it possesses the same habit of going in flocks or small parties. “J first made the acquaintance of the Asiatic Golden Plover on the Arctic * «History of British Birds,’ vol. iii. pp. 40-42. 2 CHARADRIID#. circle in the valley of the Yenesay. I shot my first specimen on the 5th of June in our winter-quarters on the river, and afterwards secured many more specimens as it passed the Koo-ray-i-ka on migration. I did not observe it again until we reached lat. 694° on the open tundra, just beyond the limit of forest-growth. Not a trace of a pine tree was to be seen, and the birch trees had dwindled down to stunted bushes scarcely a foot high. On the 14th of July, as we were delayed in our passage down the river by a gale, I took advantage of the delay and went on shore for a few hours. A climb of about a hundred feet brought me to the tundra. I took a nest of the Dusky Ouzel with young birds as I climbed up the steep bank where alders and willows still flourished luxuriantly, and had scarcely reached the top before I heard the cry of a Plover. The tundra was hilly, with lakes and swamps and bogs in the wide valleys and plains. I found myself upon an excellent piece of Plover-ground, covered more with moss and lichen than with grass, sprinkled with patches of bare pebbly earth, and interspersed with hummocky plains, where ground-fruits and gay flowers were growing. I soon caught sight of both male and female, and sat down with the intention of watching the latter to the nest. After wasting half an hour, during which the bird wandered uneasily round and round me, without showing any partiality for a special locality, I came to the conclusion, either that the eggs were hatched, in which case my watching was in vain, or that I was so near the nest that the female dare not come on. The male had a splendid black belly; and I decided to take my first good chance of a shot at him, and then to devote another half-hour to a search for the nest. All my attempts to follow the female with my glass, in order to trace her to the nest, proved ineffectual; she was too nearly the colour of the ground and the herbage was too high. Feeling convinced that I was within thirty paces of the nest, I shot the male and commenced a diligent search. He proved to be, as I suspected, the Asiatic Golden Plover with grey axillaries. By a wonderful piece of good fortune I found the nest with four eggs in less than five minutes; it was merely a hollow in the ground, upon a piece of turfy land, overgrown with moss and lichen, and was lined with broken stalks of reindeer-moss. “ At Golcheeka the Asiatic Golden Plover was very common, and I tried to watch several birds to the nest, but in every case without success; they behaved exactly as if they had young. I succeeded in catching one young bird in down, and reluctantly came to the conclusion that I was too late, on the 20th of July, for eggs. The eggs of the Asiatic Golden Plover are very similar to those of the European species. Those I obtained (the only authentic specimens known to exist) vary in ground-colour from light buff to very pale buff with a slight olive EASTERN GOLDEN PLOVER. 3 tinge, blotched and spotted with rich brown. Some eggs have the markings irregular, and many of the blotches are confluent, whilst other examples have most of the markings round the large end. The grey underlying markings are small and comparatively few in number. The character of the markings is precisely similar to those on the eggs of the Common Golden Plover. They vary in length from 1:92 to 1°85 inch, and in breadth from 1:32 to 1:27 inch. The eggs of this bird very closely resemble those of the Common Golden Plover, but are slightly smaller.” Tf 8 LAPWING. Vanellus vulgaris, Bechstein Wilhelm Greve Berlin LAPWING. VANELLUS VULGARIS, Becusrew. CHARADRUD&. | EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Banffshire, April 16, 1893. In collection of F. Poynting. », 2 Leek, Staffordshire, April 15, 1894. Ditto. » 9. Sandbach, Cheshire, May 6, 1890. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. » 4. Leek, Staffordshire, April 15, 1894. In collection of F. Poynting. Loe Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. » 6. Banffshire, April 3, 1893. Ditto. » 7. Collooney, co. Sligo, 1865. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. », 8. Sandbach, Cheshire, 1861. Ditto. This well-known species is resident and generally distributed throughout the British Islands. MACcGILLIVRAY writes as follows, respecting this species *:—‘‘In the middle of March, should the weather be good, they return to the higher grounds and unfrequented pastures. Frequently about this season, however, boisterous weather suddenly comes on, accompanied with snow or hail; and this so commonly happens in the eastern districts of the middle division of Scotland, that the people always expect what they call the ‘Tuchit’s storm,’ about the time of the arrival of that well-known bird. Thus Mr. Robertson, in his Agricultural Survey of Kincardineshire, says :—‘'The Green Plover or Peasweep, arrives here so very correctly about Candlemas term, that the storm which generally happens at that season of the year goes by its name (the Tchuchet storm). Many of them, however, betake themselves to the vicinity of marshes and moors, in any situation, or to the downs or links, or disperse over the fields. Their nests, which are slightly constructed, being often merely a few straws or blades laid in a shallow cavity, are found sometimes on an exposed slope or level part of the moors, where the herbage is short, sometimes on tufts in the midst of a bog or morass, sometimes on the bare open ground or in a * «History of British Birds, Indigenous and Migratory,’ yol. iy. pp. 137-1389. N 2 CHARADRIID. field, and, owing to its nature and the colours of the eggs, is not readily perceived. Should one approach it, the female runs off long before he comes up, and both she and the male fly about, now high, now low, suddenly descending and rising, in gentle curves or abrupt windings, and performing a variety of evolutions, sometimes striking their wings so forcibly as to cause a loud noise, and usually emitting their peevish wail. So great is their anxiety, that they will frequently come very near, and may thus be easily shot on such occasions. Should other pairs be in the neighbourhood, some of them will also fly up, and join in the performance. Meanwhile, the female will perhaps steal away quietly to some distance, and run limpingly along, with the most innocently pitiable appearance imaginable, stopping now and then as if to attract your attention, and entice you off in pursuit. Or she may go farther away, and hanging out one or both of her wings, run coweringly along. So excellent is the simulation, that one can hardly refrain from pursuing, even although smiling at his folly. It is needless to state, that no one has any chance of catching one of these lame Lapwings. When a dog approaches their nest, they are still more active in attempting to intimidate or bewilder him, and sometimes will even hit him with one of their wings. “During the whole of the breeding-season, even when not disturbed, but acting under the impulse of their natural instinct, they may be seen flying about, hovering, gliding, slanting, and curving along, shooting through the air with a continuous noise of the wings, or causing an undulated loud hum by flapping them strongly, and at the same time emitting various modifications of their usual cry. This behaviour is, no doubt, analogous to the aérial rambles of the Snipe at the same season. The Golden Plover also exhibits a similar tendency, but it flies more sedately, not indulging in these fanciful freaks, although it utters a cry different from its usual whistle. “The eggs are four, very large for the size of the bird, but much smaller than those of the Golden Plover, and, like them, pyriform, their average length an inch and ten-twelfths, their greatest breadth an inch and a quarter, or some- what less. They are generally pale brownish-yellow, blotched, spotted, and dotted with brownish-black; but their ground-colour varies to greenish-grey, or olivaceous, and the markings are various, being small or large, thickly or sparely distributed. The young are closely covered with soft down, variegated with greyish-yellow, brown, and black, and leave the nest immediately after exclusion, crouching among the moss or herbage when alarmed. So long as they remain motionless, it is almost impossible to perceive them ; but the anxiety of their parents often betrays their place of refuge, for they will fly up, screaming, flapping, and wheeling about.” LAPWING. 3 Mr. P. H. Emerson gives the following excellent description of the nesting- habits of the Lapwing on the Norfolk Broadland * :—*‘ And when the lengthening days of March have warmed the sandy warrens, some of the cocks in the flocks frequenting that district begin to tumble about amongst the hens, calling, ‘ Three bullocks a week, week arter week ;’ and the fenman’s heart is glad, ‘ for they'll soon be laying now,’ he says with bright eyes, thinking of the six shillings he will get for the first dozen of blotched eggs. But his heart is gayer still when he sees both birds sitting about on the warrens, and mayhap on the ploughed marshes as well as the clear marshes, for he knows the beginning is near. He saw them tumbling nearly a fortnight ago, and he knows they generally lay three weeks after they begin tumbling, or ‘pairing,’ as he calls it. But when he sees the cocks fly up and cut at an old grey crow that has just flown over, he is assured ‘ there be eggs,’ and he is right; we should find eggs. “But let us select our marshes, for we will not go to the warrens, although the first eggs are sure to be found there; the soil is warmer there. We will go and look over a clear marsh, a ploughed marsh, a grass marsh, or a new-lay, and a few days after the first eggs have been found, for we wish to see the birds busy at their great task. “Tt is a beautiful dawn in early May, the daylight sky brightening to the nor’ard, as we start in the heavy dew up the wall; for daybreak is the time to find a duck’s nest, and soon after daybreak a peewit’s cradle. We will go down now across that dike into the marsh, where the cocks of litter stand piled, ready — to be poled to the big marsh-boat, and carried to the farm. As we walk across the dike over the old plank, all riddled with bolt-holes—for ’tis a footbridge torn from some wreck salvaged from the Hasboro’ sands—I throw my cap into the air, and look! See yon bird silently and swiftly flying across the water and away over the reed-beds? ‘That is the hen. You must watch her, and her only, if you want to find eggs. But here comes the cock tumbling, and excitedly calling, ‘Three bullocks a week—week arter week—week arter week.’ An expert egger could tell you how many eggs she has by her flight, for as her eggs increase her flight gets more sluggish, and when she begins sitting, she is ‘a real old lump’ when she flies away, and indeed such is the case with most birds. But the hen-peewit is exceptionally active until the second egg is laid, which, by-the-bye, is not the day after the first is laid. ‘They sometimes lay every day— sometimes omit two days without laying. But we will pay no heed to the old cock ; we know his tricks to lead us away on a cock-peewit chase, which is far * « Birds, Beasts, and Fishes of the Norfolk Broadland,’ 1895 (London: David Nutt), pp. 273-277. N2 4 CHARADRIID. worse than a wild-goose chase—for we are very likely, if unwary, to attempt the one, and the other we should not. “See those shallow cup-shaped depressions near those old thistles. They are cocks’ nests. He begins the game by ‘scrabbing’ several of them. I have counted five such made by one bird. Some here, you see, are lined with pulled grass; but they are nothing. She builds the real nest, and that is why the fenmen are more delighted when they see ber on the ground; for they know that when he is on the ground alone he is only pretending with his ‘cock’s nests.’ But you see the cock-bird has gone too, since he could not take usin. But no doubt we shall flush more birds on this marsh, for they are sensible birds, and often build in company with each other, and snipe and red-legs too build near them on suitable marshes; but this one is too dry for them. But some couples are unsociable and drive off all socially-inclined couples. “Look, there is an old cock standing by yonder fork left standing in a heap of litter; the hen has flown silently away whilst we have been talking. There are eges thereabouts, for he is watching them, as the cock always does when the hen leaves the nest. But see, he is up and coming towards us, crying the usual cry—hovering close over our heads, as if eager to pierce our caps. ‘There must be young; he is so excited. Had we a dog with us, he would dart down almost within a yard of it. Let us search here amongst these thistles and rushes, and be careful you do not tread on the nest, for it is very easy to pass it over a dozen times. But see, here it is, just by this thistle-stalk, with one helpless but pretty little chick, two of the eggs ‘sprung’ and the fourth egg sound, but bright, smooth, and warm to the touch, as all hard-set eggs are. The eggs are lying in the grass-lined cup on a slant, their small ends pointing inwards, and that is their usual position, though the hen turns them round every day, as, indeed, I think most birds do, so that they may be evenly warmed into life. The pretty little fellow is evidently only just born, or he would be out of the nest, crouching in the print of a cow’s or horse’s hoof, and the eyes of Argus alone would find him. Once only did I find a youngster out of his nest, and that was on a bare mountain in Perthshire: there was no cover. This youngster here, had he been old enough, would have run out of the nest, and, once having left his cradle, nothing would have induced him to return. But he is only just hatched: for had the four chicks been born, both old birds would have stayed to defend their young ; by that sign shall you know whether there be young. “But let us lie behind this heap of stuff over here and watch the first hen we flushed; she ought to be returning soon, for I have seldom known them leave their eggs more than twenty minutes, if there be more than one egg. But she is LAPWING. 5 not sitting yet, or the cock-bird would have stayed longer; and she begins to sit when the third egg is laid, though four is her full number. “Tet us wait here, though a drizzle has come on, greying the trees and distant sandhills, for the birds are sure to be back soon now; for a peewit never leaves her eggs exposed to the wet. She always covers them, or more usually returns at all hazards and sits upon them. But hist! there she comes across the wall and flies down to the marsh. See her. She is looking intently. ‘All’s well,’ she thinks. See her running along for a few yards—for peewits seldom walk, but run, after appearing to pick up something as they go. ‘Then she stops again, and listens, and on she goes right on to the nest by that heap near the dike. Soon you can scarcely see her with the naked eye. And yet these brave birds sit upon the Jonely marshes through the night-watches, regardless of the cruel and fierce rats and ruthless weasels and stoats that are breeding near by, and who often rob their eggs and young, if they do not eat the mother herself. And yet the birds sit on through darkness unprotected, merely obeying an instinct stronger than fear. Having made our mark, after the manner of the fenmen, we run up and flush her. She rises again, and flies lapping off, silent as death, striking away over the water again; and after a little search we find the nest, lined with rush and broad-leaved grass, upon which lie two eggs, heavy and sweet and fresh, as the water-test in the nearest dike proves. And we will leave them, for they are not so good to eat as a fresh hen’s egg, and chance the old Kentish crows sucking them, as they often do, as well as eating the young peewits when they can catch them. But see, here comes the excited cock again, tumbling about, and thrashing the air with his wings, and, till he is about to fly up, there he goes into the open, twisting, and turning, and shrieking his dull refrain, ‘ Three bullocks a week—week arter week—week arter week.’ ‘And so these birds lay on, if robbed, unto their clutches of four eggs each, or a round dozen per bird, laying as late as harvest-time ; for they must have a young brood if possible. But they leave the place their early nests are robbed in, and go moving from marsh to marsh at each new loss of embryo; and so regular is this retirement before the eggers, that the experienced say, ‘Ah! well, they'll be inter our marsh next, directly they're robbed over yonder,’ But this egging has sadly thinned their numbers; and instead of being able to find two dozen nests of a morning, as was formerly common, we may be lucky to find one in many a marsh.” Mr. F. S. Mitchell writes as follows, with reference to the breeding of the Lapwing in Lancashire * :—‘ It is an early breeder, hatches two broods in the * ©Birds of Lancashire,’ pp. 179, 180. 6 CHARADRIIDA. season, and the bulk lay their first three or four eggs in April, but every year many nests may be found in March, and in 1883 a confiding pair near Clitheroe had made all preparations, and got one egg safely deposited, on the first of that month; the storm which came a week later, however, upset their calculations, and made all the birds in the neighbourhood flock together again for shelter. The earliest nest I have heard of was reported to the ‘ Field’ of March 4th, 1882, by Mr. H. J. Parke, was says that ‘on February 22, a Plover’s nest was found in Brindle, near Preston, containing three eggs, and on the 25th the fourth egg was laid, when the bird commenced to sit.’... It shows great attachment to its nest, defending it boldly, and being very reluctant to leave it, as the following instance will show:—About half-past five in the evening of May 15th, 1879, -Mr. T. Altham found a nest with four eggs in, three of which were completely covered witha dry cake of cow-dung, probably kicked over it by accident by the cattle. ‘The birds had evidently been trying to remove it, but had not been able. The eggs were cold, but he took them home, put them on the oven all night, and at six next morning took them to the nest again. The old birds were about the place, and the hen, on his leaving, went on at once, three of the eggs the morning following being hatched and the young gone: the remaining egg had been accidentally cracked.” Mr. H. Seebohm says that the eggs of the Lapwing vary in length “ from 9-() to 1:75 inch, and in breadth from 1-4 to 1:28 inch.” * Mr. H. E. Dresser states that eggs of this species in his collection measure from 1:85 by 1°37 inch to 1°65 by 1:32 inch; and that he was informed by the late Mr. Benzon that the latter possessed eggs measuring from 2-0 by 1°81 inch to 1:57 by 1:31 inch. One elongated egg measured 2°36 by 1°30 inch, and a very small one measured 1-1 by °65 inch. * ‘History of British Birds,’ vol. ii. p. 59. + ‘History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. vii. pp. 501, 552. | a 7 ae ca ie ; 7 7 7 ; = EE rheh ned pai > a FS ee | 10 ale TURNSTONE. Strepsilas interpres (Linneus). Berlin FURNS TONE: STREPSILAS INTERPRES (Linus). CHARADRIIDE. | EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Skane, Sweden. June 6, 1891. 2. Lapland, June 14, 1886. 3. Upland, Sweden, June 19, 1889. 4, Ditto. June 15, 1892. » 0 Lapland, June 9, 1889. 6 7 8 9 ” »” Ditto. June 12, 1887. . Skane, Sweden, June 1, 1891. . Lapland, June 9, 1887. Ditto. Ditto. », 10. Ditto. Ditto. » ll. Ditto. June 14, 1886. 5, 12. Skane, Sweden, June 6, 1891. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. The Turnstone is a spring and autumn visitor to the coasts of the British Islands, a limited number spending the winter in the south and west of England. Pairs of these birds have been known to spend the summer on our coasts, but authenticated eggs do not appear to have been obtained in our Islands.. The expectations that this species would be found nesting among the Scotch islands have not been realized by the explorations of Messrs. Buckley and Harvie-Brown.* Mr. Howarp Saunpers writes? :—‘ ‘The Turnstone breeds in Greenland, Iceland (where it is sedentary), and perhaps in the Feroes; but its best known and most accessible nesting-places are on the coasts and islands of Scandinavia, Denmark, and of the Baltic. It has occurred on Jan Mayen, Spitsbergen, and Novaya Zemlya, and is found in summer along the northern coast of Siberia as far as Bering Straits; while during the cold season its range extends over Asia, and * See ‘A Vertebrate Fauna of the Outer Hebrides,’ 1888, by J. A. Harvie-Brown and T. E. Buckley, pp: 126, 127; also ‘A Vertebrate Fauna of the Orkney Islands,’ 1891, pp. 205, 206, and ‘ A Vertebrate Fauna of Argyll and the Inner Hebrides,’ 1892, p. 168, by the same authors. T ‘Manual of British Birds,’ pp. 541, 542. 2 CHARADRIIDZ, down to Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Polynesia, South America, and the African region. Mr. Godman believes that the Turnstone breeds in the Azores, and it may possibly do so in the Canaries, while Mr. Tait says that in Portugal it is usually seen near the mouth of the Douro ‘from the beginning of April till the middle of September,’ adding that in the summer of 1869 a young bird was brought to him alive and kept in a cage for many months; no eggs have, however, been taken south of the Baltic. On migration the Turnstone is found along the entire coast line of Europe and on many inland waters, and it is generally distributed in North America, breeding in the Arctic regions; but 8S. melanocephalus, a second member of this small genus, is also found in Alaska and California.” The late Dr. Saxby stated that he discovered the eggs of the Turnstone on the shores of Unst, Shetland Islands. Although some doubt has been thrown upon his correct identification of the eggs *, his description of the habits of this species and of his discovery of the eggs is so interesting, that it is here reproduced in full + :— “The Turnstone arrives regularly in summer, and again in March or April, a few remaining throughout the winter. More than half a dozen are seldom observed together, but upon rare occasions I have seen as many as twenty or thirty. When Turnstones are in company with other species they are not very difficult to approach, but having been once fired at, they will remain shy for weeks afterwards. On being disturbed, they nearly always utter their loud peculiar cry, which, by the way, it is not quite impossible to imitate by unscrewing the tight-fitting lid of an old- fashioned ‘ powder-puff box’ and they invariably fly seawards, seldom alighting until they have several times passed and repassed the selected spot. When wounded, they swim with the greatest ease, and will even take to the water voluntarily when closely pursued, but I have never yet seen one attempt to dive. It is a matter of surprise that so careful an observer as Macgillivray should have regarded ‘their alleged stone-turning habits asa fable.’ I have watched these birds for hours at a time, and besides witnessing the act repeatedly, have afterwards visited the ground, where the displacement of stones and shells, and even the completely reversed position of some, has been quite sufficient to prove the existence of the habit in question. Such traces are of course most readily observed upon a sandy beach where the stones are few and scattered; but, indeed, it is chiefly among sea-weed that this peculiar method of searching for food is employed, the * Mr. H. E. Dresser, for example, remarks with reference to Dr. Saxby’s discovery :—‘ But he does not appear to have had any authentic eggs of that species [Turnstone] to compare them with, as he compares them with the plate in Mr. Hewitson’s well-known work on oology” (‘ History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. vii. p. 558). t ‘ Birds of Shetland,’ pp. 170-172. TURNSTONE. 3 wet appearance of the newly-turned portions of the masses of drifted weed making them evident enough to an observant. eye. Although this bird mostly frequents rocky shores, the sands, during stormy weather or immediately afterwards, appear to be very attractive. “'Thomas Edmondston, seeing this bird in the north of Shetland at all times of the year, considered it resident ; and though he never heard of the eggs being found, he seems to have been correct in his supposition. As long ago as 1859 a boy brought me some eggs from Woodwick, among which were two which were so like those of the Turnstone that I always considered them as such, although unwilling to label them, as the finder could give no account whatever either of birds or nests. For years after this I was sadly tantalized by seeing Turnstones about the shores of Unst during the breeding season,—not small flocks, which merely waited until summer was well advanced, but pairs, which lingered about particular localities. It was seldom, however, that the pair were seen together; the male might be feeding upon the beach and the female several hundred yards away upon the rough stony ground. ‘The most likely place of all seemed to be between Skioting and Clugan, and to this spot I directed my attention more particularly. It was a peculiarly wild spot, quite out of the way of the people’s track to and from their cottages and boats, and, so far as I could imagine, well suited to the breeding habits of the birds. ‘The ground is rough and quite uncultivated, backed by stony hills, and gradually sloping towards masses of weather-worn rocks, which form a barrier preventing the encroachments of the sea. Where the vegetation gradually ends, the ground is very irregular and stony, tufts and patches of long rank grass apparently offering most suitable nesting-places. On the evening of the 16th of June, observing a female Turnstone behaving very suspiciously, I searched most minutely among the grassy depressions and hollows for more than two hours, and was wandering, almost in despair, upon the gravelly and stony edge which had been washed bare by the winter’s spray, when, to my delight, there lay three eggs in a hollow among the stones, slightly sheltered from the north by a flattened fragment which partly overhung them. The hollow, which had evidently been artificially formed, was scantily lined with dry grass, and measured a little less than five inches across. I was rather surprised that the bird displayed no anxiety; possibly she was watching me from some concealed position, and would have been bolder had all four eggs been laid and incubation commenced; but at any rate I saw nothing of her for about an hour previously to my discovery of the treasure. Although I had not the smallest doubt that the eggs were Turnstone’s—indeed they could have been nothing else—I thought it best to take one egg, intending to return O 4 CHARADRIID. cautiously next evening, and perhaps see the bird leave the nest. However, early in the morning a man came with the very two eggs to claim the reward I had offered, and although he seemed much aggrieved by the charge, I am quite sure the rascal had been watching me. Two of the eggs were a good deal like the figure in Mr. Hewitson’s work, but the ground-colour of the third was of a brighter green; all were blotched with amber brown, reddish brown, and purplish erey, the markings of the latter colour being smallest. The average length was one inch and six lines, the breadth one inch two lines. “JT have no doubt that if some of the smaller islands were carefully and patiently explored, other nests would be found. Shetlanders as a rule care little for such minute work. They have no objections to visit a colony of Terns or Gulls, and bring home a good-sized handkerchieful of eggs; but to potter about for hours after ‘ twa-three peerie bits 0’ tings ’ like Turnstone’s eggs, is more than they have patience to attempt.” Messrs. F. and P. Godman met with this species at Bodo, Norway, in 1857. They write * :—“ On June 3rd, whilst rowing amongst some islands, we first noticed this bird. We afterwards found five nests, being in every instance attracted to the islands on which they were situated by the cries and motions of the old birds, which they began long before we neared the place. All the nests were cunningly placed, showing no preference for any particular locality. One was on a ledge of a rock; another on the open sand, close to an Oyster-catcher’s ; two were in the grass; and the fifth under a ledge of rock, well concealed by weeds and grass.” With reference to the Turnstone, Prof. Collett writes f:—‘The last few years I have examined a considerable number of the nests of this species, in particular on the coast of Namdalen, in June 1871. ‘They are mostly built under large stones or beneath broad-leaved plants (Archangelica littoralis), or juniper bushes. Several pairs were generally found breeding close to one another. The eggs—invariably 4 to the set—were quite fresh in the middle of June. In the breeding-haunts the birds exhibited great alarm, but did not, like the Charadrii, feign to be wounded. Incubation-spots are found in both sexes. The stomachs contained small Coleoptera, the young of a ILitorina, small crustaceans, coarse gravel, and scales of fishes (swallowed perhaps accidentally).” Messrs. H. J. Pearson and E. Bidwell, in their notes “ On a Birds’-nesting Excursion to the North of Norway in 1895,” write as follows, with reference to this species }:—“In good numbers on some of the islands in the Porsanger. * * Notes on the Birds observed at Bodé during the spring and summer of 1857,” ‘ Ibis,’ 1861, p. 86. + ‘Remarks on the Ornithology of Northern Norway,’ p. 70. t ‘Ibis, 1894, p. 234. TURNSTONE. a) Had any historian of British birds described the nesting-habits of this species, we should probably have found a good many eggs, but the very meagre information given rather hindered than helped us. Directly we found a bird we noticed that, if high ground was near, it immediately flew to it, uttering its alarm-note, and presently it was joined by the female ; both birds would perch on boulders of rock. We spent hours in trying to watch them back to their nest, but they would not move from their stations whilst we were in the neighbourhood. We also spent many hours searching under stones near the places where we saw the females, but without success. The last evening but one before we left the Porsanger, whilst walking by the shore, we found a nest placed in the centre of a patch of dwarf sallow not 5 paces from high-water mark. A second was found in a similar position, and a third under a flat stone just 12 paces above high-water mark.” Mr. H. Chichester Hart, Naturalist on board H.M.S. ‘ Discovery,’ in his ‘Notes on the ornithology of the British Polar Expedition, 1875-6,” writes * :— “On the 25th August, 1875, Turnstones, young and old, were collected in small flocks preparatory to leaving Discovery Bay. ‘They were then feeding along the shore, all their means of subsistence inland being frozen up. In 1876 two or three Turnstones arrived on the 29th May; on the 5th June I shot a male in beautiful summer plumage; by the 6th and 7th they were of frequent occurrence, and I saw a few passing to the north in small flocks. The ‘Turnstone, like all other birds in Discovery Bay, is always at war with the Long-tailed Skua, flying at and insulting him with great courage. Turnstones, though feeding along shore at the close of their visit, subsist during the summer upon bees, caterpillars (Argynnis chariclea, Sch., and Dasychira grenlandica, Wocke), and Tipule. The stomachs of several examined were almost entirely filled with caterpillars, and I often watched them with a powerful glass and wondered at their dexterity in finding them. The summer note of the Turnstone is loud and pleasant: a twittering chatter of two notes quickly repeated, which is produced by the male bird while watching near the nest. On the 12th and 24th July, 1876, two nests were found with four eggs each; on the Ist August I saw a brood of four young, just able to fly; on the 6th there were many young about, and by the 9th they were feeding in small parties along the shore. ‘The first nest was found by one of the sailors in a valley about three miles inland; by my instructions he left it untouched for me to see in situ; but, having taken insufficient bearings, when we returned together, he could not re-discover it. The ground was covered with a * ¢Zoologist,’ 1880, pp. 128, 129. 6 CHARADRIID. uniform grey shingle with scattered patches of brown herbage. For upwards of an hour did we cross and re-cross an area of about fifty square yards, within which limits my companion was positive that the nest was placed, the parents flying round in much agitation all the time. At last, in despair of thus finding the eggs, and fearful, moreover, of treading on them, I withdrew to a hillock about a hundred yards off, and watched the female through my field-glass, the male having deserted his post when he thought we had left. After a few minutes she alighted, and while watching her threading her way for about ten yards among the stones, to my delight, four eggs came within my field, and in another second she was between me and them. Even then, so exactly did both eggs and parent resemble their surroundings, it was with difficulty we could see the nest, and, even while actually looking at the eggs, it was hard to distinguish them from the pebbles and herbage around. ‘The nest was composed of white lichen and Dryas-leaves, loosely laid together upon a hollow in the turf of the latter. The eges were rather pointed, and in colour and marking like those of the Long-tailed Skua, with the ground-colour less greenish in shade. In Polaris Bay Dr. Coppinger observed Turnstones frequently in July 1876.” Mr. H. Seebohm describes the eggs of the Turnstone as follows * :—‘“ The - eggs are four in number, differing considerably from those of the typical Plovers, and approaching much more closely those of the Sandpipers. ‘They vary from pale olive-green of different shades to pale buff in ground-colour, dashed, clouded, spotted, and blotched with olive-brown and very dark brown, and with underlying markings of purplish grey. Some specimens are boldly streaked with dark brown, especially on the larger end, others have most of the larger markings running in an oblique direction round the surface. Some are much more richly marked than others ; occasionally the markings are blurred and indistinct, whilst on others they are bold and well defined. They vary in length from 1:7 to 1:52 inch, and in breadth from 1:2 to 1-1 inch. The eggs of the ‘Turnstone cannot be confused with those of any British Plover, nor easily with those of any of the Sandpipers. Perhaps they most resemble certain varieties of the Common Snipe, though they are seen to be very different when compared. Only one brood is reared in the year; and both male and female appear to take turns in the work of incubation.” The late Dr. T. M. Brewer states that the eggs of this species vary in length from 1:72 to 1-6 inch, and in breadth from 1:25 to 1:13 inch, averaging about 1°66 by 1:18 inch.+ * «Mistory of British Birds,’ vol. iii. p. 14. tT ‘Water Birds of North America,’ vol. i- p. 124. ey io COMMON SNIPE Gallinago coclestis (Frenzel) COMMON SNIPE. SCOLOPACID &. | GALLINAGO CQCELESTIS (Frenzet). EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Steeton, Yorkshire, April 12, 1889. », 2. Winfrith, Dorset, May 13, 1891. i bb Mook Ditto. May 23, 1893. ee ede Ditto. Ditto. » 9. Midgarth, Stronsay, April 9, 1893. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. » 6. Wool, Dorset, May 15, 1892. Re: Ditto. May 23, 1893. 8. Aberdeen, May 15, 1892. 9 . Wool, Dorset, May 14, 1892. This species is a common winter visitor, considerable numbers remaining to breed throughout the British Islands. RereRRING to the Common Snipe, Mr. H. Saunders writes *:—‘“‘ This species still breeds in England and Wales wherever drainage has not abolished the localities suited to its habits, and it is comparatively abundant in the marshes of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Lincolnshire, while generally distributed on the northern moorlands, and up to a considerable elevation in Scotland and Ireland. The birds produced in the British Islands are few, however, compared to those which annually visit us in October and November, when many are killed by striking against the lanterns of lighthouses. These migrants, though they frequently shift their ground under the influence of the weather, often remain through the winter till March.” Describing the habits of the Common Snipe, Macgillivray writes as follows ¢ :—‘‘ Beautiful are those green woods that hang upon the craggy sides of the fern-clad hills, where the heath-fowl threads its way among the tufts of brown heath, and the Cuckoo sings his ever-pleasing notes as he balances himself on the grey stone, vibrating his fan-like tail. Now I listen to the simple song of * ‘Manual of British Birds,’ p. 557. + ‘History of British Birds, Indigenous and Migratory,’ vol. iv. pp. 371-373, 2 : SCOLOPACIDA. the mountain Blackbird, warbled by the quiet lake that spreads its glittering bosom to the sun, winding far away among the mountains, amid whose rocky glens wander the wild deer, tossing their antlered heads on high as they snuff the breeze tainted with the odour of the slow-paced shepherd and his faithful dog. In that recess formed by two moss-clad slabs of mica-slate, the lively Wren jerks up its little tail, and chits its merry note, as it recalls its straggling young ones that have wandered among the bushes. From the sedgy slope, sprinkled with white cotton-grass, comes the shrill cry of the solitary Curlew; and there, high over the heath, wings his meandering way the joyous Snipe, giddy with excess of unalloyed happiness. “There another has sprung from among the yellow-flowered marigolds that profusely cover the marsh. Upwards slantingly, on rapidly vibrating wings, he shoots, uttering the while his shrill two-noted cry. Zissich, tissick, quoth the Snipe, as he leaves the bog. Now in silence he wends his way, until at length having reached the height of perhaps a thousand feet, he zigzags along, emitting a louder and shriller cry of zo0-zee, z00-zee, zoo-zee; which over, varying his action, he descends on quivering pinions, curving towards the earth with surprising speed, while from the rapid beats of his wings the tremulous air gives to the ear what at first seems the voice of distant thunder. ‘This noise some have likened to the bleating of a goat at a distance on the hillside, and thus have named our bird the Air-goat and Air-bleater. The sound, I think, is evidently produced by the rapid action of the wings, which, during its continuance, are seen to be in tremulous motion. It comes on the ear soon after the bird commences its descent, and ceases when, having gained the lowest part of the curve, it recovers itself, and ascends with a different and ordinary motion of its wings. I have never heard it under any other circumstances. Were it produced by the voice it might be emitted when the bird is on the ground, or during its ordinary flight ; but should one hear it on the moor, he will invariably find that it proceeds from on high. In this manner the Snipe may continue to amuse itself for, perhaps, an hour or more; and sometimes, in the clear sky, one may trace it until at length it mounts so high as to be no longer perceptible. “This drumming noise of the Snipe commences in April, and is continued through the summer. It is altogether a solitary act, although several individuals may often be heard at the same time, and may be an expression of the happiness of the bird, or an intimation of its presence to its mate while sitting upon her eggs. We have no means of ascertaining its object, nor has it been determined whether it be performed by the male only, or by the female also. When the bird has gone through his evolutions, he descends, often with astonishing velocity, on COMMON SNIPE. 5) partially extended and apparently motionless wings, diminishes his speed a little as he approaches the ground obliquely, and alights abruptly. “In winter this species is dispersed over the whole of Britain, and in summer many remain to breed even in the most southern parts, where there are suitable places ; but in England the number is very inferior to what is met with in Scotland; on all the moist heaths of which, but especially on those of the northern parts and the Hebrides, it is extremely abundant. The multitudes that rear their young in the bogs of Lewis, Harris, and the Uists are truly astonishing. There the nests are found in various situations; often in the grassy pastures, but more frequently on the unfrequented moors, from the level of the lakes to the height of two thousand feet. A slight hollow, lined with bits of heath and grass or sedge, and situated on a dry tuft, or among stunted heath or moss, receives the eggs, which are usually four in number, although I have often found only three, pyriform, placed with the small ends together, generally an inch and seven- twelfths long, an inch and one-twelfth in breadth, of a greyish-yellow colour, tinged with greenish-blue, and marked with irregular spots and patches of dark brown and brownish-grey, more numerous toward the larger end. They vary considerably in form, size, and colour.” Respecting the nesting habits of this species in Shetland, the late Dr. Saxby writes *:—“ The Common Snipe begins laying early in May, but fresh eggs may be found even as late as the middle of August. Every peat bog or moist meadow may be regarded as a breeding ground, yet the nests are also found upon the highest hills, not less upon the steep sloping sides than upon the tops; but in no case far from water, whether it be in the form of a loch or of a mere stream trickling over the surface of the stones. The nest is by no means so flimsy and so carelessly constructed as it is usually represented to be, a tolerably thick layer of dry grass or of bits of fern being neatly arranged low down among the herbage, forming a cavity shaped like a deep saucer, and measuring four inches across. It is generally well concealed, so that when the bird sits close, as she usually does until almost trodden upon, it is difficult to discover. I have only once found as many as five eggs in a nest, and this was in a marsh where birds of the same species were breeding abundantly; the dissimilarity of one egg to the other four rendering more than probable that the odd one was laid by a second female. Any attempt to convey an accurate idea of the extraordinary variety of colouring which prevails among the eggs of the Common Snipe would be futile. I have seen them with the ground-colour of almost every shade and mixture of tint which * © Birds of Shetland,’ pp. 201, 202. 4 SCOLOPACIDA. is known to occur among the eggs of the Scolopacidee, from cream colour or light blue to deep brownish ochre and olive green or olive brown. ‘The markings also vary considerably, the eggs sometimes being largely blotched, sometimes minutely freckled, nor is it by any means unusual to meet with specimens having the large ends surrounded with long irregular streaks like those upon the eggs of the Yellowhammer ; indeed, on looking over Mr. Hewitson’s figures of the eggs of the Scolopacide, I cannot observe one, with the single exception of the broad- billed Sandpiper, which would not, were the size altered, accurately represent a variety of the egg of the Common Snipe. Eggs from the same nest nearly always resemble one another in colouring; and among the thousands which I have seen uniformity in size and shape prevails.” Mr. Abel Chapman writes * :—‘‘ Snipes [breed] at all elevations, on hill or valley. The nest is always well concealed under a tuft of grass or heather; and the old bird sits close. Snipe are very irregular in their dates of laying; I have found young ones unable to fly on August 12th, and, on the other hand, have known of a nest as early as 19th March, and of young Snipes on the wing in the last week of April.” Mr. Seebohm says that the eggs of the Common Snipe “ vary in length from 1:65 to 1:5 inch, and in breadth from 1:15 to 1:05 inch.” Mr. H. E. Dresser states that eggs of-this species in his collection measure from 1:7 by 1:15 inch to 1°52 by 1-02 inch. £ * « Bird-life of the Borders’ (London: Gurney & Jackson, 1889), p. 30. + ‘History of British Birds,’ vol. iii. p. 244. + ‘ History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. vii. p. 649. RED-BREASTED SNIPE. Macrorhamphus griseus (J. F. Gmelin). RED-BREASTED SNIPE. ScoLoPAciD&. | MACRORHAMPHUS GRISEUS (J. F. Gmewn). EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Anderson River Fort, British N. America, June 29, 1864 (parents shot) ; R. MacFarlane coll. No. 11357 U.S. National Museum Collection, » 2. Anderson River Fort, British N. America, June 30, 1865 (parents shot) ; R. MacFarlane coll. No. 11856 U.S. National Museum Collection. This American species is a rare accidental visitor to England and Scotland, no example having been met with in Ireland. Mr. Howarp Savunpers describes the geographical distribution of the Red-breasted Snipe as follows * :—‘ It breeds on the vast morasses round Hudson Bay, and about as far south as lat. 44°, migrating along the east coast; but west of the Mississippi valley a slightly larger form prevails, with somewhat longer bill and brighter coloration in summer, and for this many American ornithologists have adopted the name scolopaceus, either specifically or sub-specifically. Both forms occur in winter in the Gulf States and among the West Indian Islands, while it is admitted that birds undistinguishable from those of the Atlantic race occur on the barren- grounds and in Alaska—the summer-quarters of the western form—as well as down the Pacific side of America. For the purposes of the present work we may unite the two under one heading and say that the Red-breasted Snipe breeds throughout the Fur countries, migrating in winter as far south as Brazil on the east side and Chili on the west, while a few wanderers cross the Pacific to Japan and North-eastern Siberia. Its spring arrival on Long Island, near New York— where it is known by the name of ‘ Dowitcher ’—takes place towards the end of April, and within a month the most northern of its breeding-grounds have been reached.” Referring to the form M. griseus, the late Dr. T. M. Brewer writes f:— “ Mr. MacFarlane found this species breeding in the Arctic Region, in the vicinity of Fort Anderson. The nests were taken between the 21st of June and the Ist of July, the usual number of eggs in a nest appearing to be four. The nests were * ¢Manual of British Birds,’ pp. 561, 562. tT ‘Water Birds of North America,’ yol. i. pp. 199, 200. 2 SCOLOPACID. placed on the marshy borders of small lakes, and were composed of a few decayed leaves placed in a depression in the mossy ground. In one instance the female was sitting on the nest, and when approached, ascended in the air, uttering shrill and long-continued notes of alarm and annoyance, She was then, after a few minutes, seen to descend in a perpendicular manner to her nest. “The eges of this species are of a decidedly pyriform shape, and vary considerably in size—namely, from 1:55 to 175 inches in length, and from 1:08 to 1:20 in breadth. In some examples the ground is drab, with blended shadings of rufous and olivaceous; in others, the ground is a fawn-coloured drab, more slightly olivaceous. The markings are uniformly sepia in color, somewhat intensified about the larger end, and of less size and more scattered at the smaller end.” :. With reference to the form J/. scolopaceus, Dr. Brewer continues :—“ It is not possible to give an exact account of the distinctive habits of the form called ‘ scolopaceus,’ if it really possesses any that are peculiar to it or distinguishable from those of the preceding. Nor can it be stated with certainty how far, if at all, its distribution differs from that of the more common Red-breasted Snipe. In the dress of the scolopaceus this form has been met with both on the Atlantic and on the Pacific coast. It is found in the interior; and, in the winter, has also been met with in Central America. Wiirdemann secured examples in Florida, and Professor Kumlien has procured birds of this form both in the spring and in the fall, near Lake Koskonong. Lieutenant Warren obtained a single individual on the Missouri River, near Omaha, Nebraska. It has been found very common among the lagoons on the Pacific coast, near San Pedro, in California (‘ Ibis,’ 1866, p. 27). It was described as not apparently ever going down to the salt- flats, its habits being given as somewhat similar to those of JJicropalama himantopus, and therefore inferentially different from those of JZ. griseus. ‘«Mr. Dall mentions the WZ. scolopaceus as common about the mouth of the River Yukon, where the M. griseus is spoken of as being very rare up that river. At Nulato this same form is mentioned by Mr. Bannister as being quite common, though not extremely abundant; he found the nest of this Snipe on the 3rd of June, and on the 6th secured the parent with the eggs. The nest was a simple hollow in the ground in a grassy hummock, in the centre of a marshy spot, with scarcely any lining whatever; there was nothing in the shape of a nest substantial enough to be removed. The eggs were four in number, and Mr, Bannister describes them as of a brownish color, mottled with a still deeper tint. The female when startled from the nest shuffled off with great rapidity among the grassy hummocks, presenting a very difficult mark to hit. Only one parent bird was:seen. .... RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 3 ** Egos in the Smithsonian Collection, marked as having been obtained by Mr. Bannister on the Island of St. Michael’s, May 23, 1866, are larger than any eges of the griseus we have ever seen, measuring 1:80 inches in length, by 1:15 inches in breadth. They have a ground of a well-pronounced rufous drab, blotched with much darker markings of a deep shade of sepia brown.” Referring to the supposed differences between M, griseus and M. scolopaceus, Dr. Coues writes *:—‘'The supposed species (JZ. scolopaceus), based on larger size and larger bill, is not even entitled to rank as a variety. Almost any flock contains a per cent. of such individuals. The difference in these respects is merely the normal individual variation.” Mr. E. W. Nelson, who separates Wacrorhamphus griseus from M. scolopaceus, gives the following description of the habits of the latter form, which he met with in Alaska ¢:—‘‘ This is one of the most common waders on the shore of Norton Sound in summer, and is also present in smaller numbers all along the Yukon, where suitable locations occur. It is a rather scarce summer resident about Point Barrow, according to Murdoch. In spring, the middle of May, as the snow disappears, and the first pale leaves of grass begin to thrust their spear- points through the dead vegetable mat on the ground, or as early as the 10th on some seasons, this peculiar Snipe returns to its summer home. At the Yukon mouth I found them on May 12, when they were already engaged in love-making, though the ground was still, to a great extent, covered with snow, and only here and there appeared a thawed place where they could feed. ‘Toward the end of this month they are plentiful, and their curious habits and loud notes make them among the most conspicuous denizens of the marshes. At the Yukon mouth, on May 28, I came across a female busily at work, preparing a little hollow in a tussock for her eggs, and as I drew near she moved a little to one side, and uttered a sharp, querulous note, as if protesting against the intrusion. We took the hint and left her; but a second visit, some days later, showed the spot deserted. These are very demonstrative birds in their love-making, and the last of May and first of June their loud cries are heard everywhere about their haunts, especially in morning and evening. “Two or three males start in pursuit of a female and away they go twisting and turning, here and there, over marsh and stream, with marvellous swiftness and dexterity. At short intervals a male checks his flight for a moment to utter a strident péet & wéet ; wée-too, wée-too ; then on he goes full tilt again. After they have mated, or when a solitary male pays his devotions, they rise 15 or 20 * ¢Birds of the North-West,’ p. 477. + ‘Report upon Natural History Collections made in Alaska between the years 1877 and 1881,’ pp. 100, 101. P2 4 SCOLOPACID A. yards from the ground, where, hovering upon quivering wings, the bird pours forth a lisping but energetic and frequently musical song, which can be very imperfectly expressed by the syllables péet-peet ; pée-ter-wée-too ; wée-too ; pée-ter- wée-too; pée-ter-wée-too; wée-too; wee-too. This is the complete song, but frequently only fragments are sung, as when the bird is in pursuit of the female. “June 16, while crossing a tussock-covered hill-top, over a mile from any water, I was surprised to see a female of this species flutter from her nest about 6 feet in front of me, and skulk off through the grass with trailing wings and depressed head for some 10 or 15 yards, then stand nearly concealed by a tuft of grass and watch me as I pillaged her home of its treasures. “The eggs, four in number (set No. 299), rested in a shallow depression formed by the bird’s body in the soft moss and without a trace of lining. These eggs measure respectively 1:80 by 1:21; 1:70 by 1:20; 1:69 by 1-20; 1-72 by 1:23. A second set of four (No. 328), taken on lower ground, June 20, the same season, measure 1:80 by 1:22; 1:72 by 1:23; 1:87 by 1:24; 1:83 by 1:25, and set No. 222, from a boggy flat, but with no nest, except the dead grass naturally found on the place occupied, was taken June 13, the same season, and measures 1:73 by 1:23; 1°72 by 1:23; 1:70 by 1:22; 1°72 by 1:22. The ground-colour varies from a greenish clayey olive to a light grayish or clay color. The spots are large, well-defined, and scattered sparsely, except about the tip of large end, where they are crowded. These spots are dark umber-brown, and present a striking contrast to the ground-color, All the eggs mentioned above were fresh, but the young are full-grown and on the wing with their parents the last of July, and the first of August finds the adults rapidly changing their breeding-dress for that of winter, and gathering into flocks. By the first of September they are in perfect winter dress, and frequent muddy flats, the edges of tide-creeks, and other places, exactly as they do in their passage south or north in middle latitudes. They have the same unsuspicious ways here as there, and may be shot at again and again, as they keep about their wounded comrades. Not long after griseus and scolopaceus were first distinguished many ornithologists reunited the two as inseparable, but lately Messrs. Ridgway and Lawrence, in the Nuttall Ornithological Club Bulletin for July, 1880, have adduced proof which must go far toward convincing the most sceptical of their difference. “Having occasion in the preparation of this article to compare my Alaskan series with the specimens from various parts of the country in the National Museum collection, I find there is not the slightest difficulty in distinguishing the two birds except in very rare instances.” ..... . 7 BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER. Limicola platyrhyncha (Temminck). BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER. SCOLOPACID&. | LIMICOLA PLATYRHYNCHA (Temick). EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Lapland, June 17, 1886. » 2 Ditto. June 13, 1890. » & Ditto. June 25, 1887. 4. Tornea Lappmark, June 26, 1888. 5. Muonioniska, East Bothnia; Knoblock coll. In collection of E. Bidwell, Esq. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. The Broad-billed Sandpiper is a rare accidental visitor to England and Treland, there being no record from Scotland. Respecting the geographical distribution of the Broad-billed Sandpiper Mr. Howard Saunders writes as follows *:—‘It is evident that our islands lie outside the ordinary route taken by this species; yet it breeds no further off than the fells of Scandinavia, and visits the coasts and inland waters of Denmark, Germany, France, and Switzerland. As yet it has not been noticed in the Spanish Peninsula, but in Italy its occurrences, though irregular, are not unfrequent, large flocks—which have probably made use of the Brenner Pass— sometimes alighting in the marshes of Venetia. From Finland and the tundras of European Russia, where it also nests, a more easterly line of flight brings it to the Black Sea and the Aralo-Caspian region, while it is found during winter in some parts of the Mediterranean basin, including the shores of North Africa as far as Egypt. Strange to say, it has not been met with by any explorers in the Arctic portions of Asiatic Siberia, but Severtzoff obtained a specimen on the Pamir, and the bird is common in winter on the coast of Sind. It occurs again on Lake Baikal, and commonly on the Sea of Okhotsk, visiting Japan, China, the Philippines, Burma, and Eastern India; while, after another great gap in its distribution, we find it at Madagascar, of course during the cold season.” The following valuable notes on the nidification of this species were * «Manual of British Birds,’ pp. 563, 564. 2 SCOLOPACID. communicated by the late Mr. Richard Dann to the late Mr. Yarrell, who published them in his ‘ History of British Birds’*:—* This Sandpiper is by no means uncommon during the breeding-season in Lulea and 'Tornea Lapmark, frequenting grassy morasses and swamps in small colonies, generally in the same places as those frequented by the Yotanus glareola, our Wood Sandpiper. It breeds also at Fokstuen on the Dovre Fjeld mountains, about three thousand feet above the level of the sea, in Norway, where it arrives at the latter end of May. On its first appearance it is wild and shy, and similar in its habits to the other species of the genus, feeding on the grassy borders of the small pools and lakes in the morasses. On being disturbed it soars to a great height in the air, rising and falling suddenly like the Snipe, uttering the notes two woo, which are rapidly repeated. As the weather becomes warm its habits totally change, skulking and creeping through the dead grass, and allowing itself to be followed within a few yards, and when flushed dropping again a short distance off. It seems to lay its eggs later than others of this tribe generally. I found the eggs not sat upon on the 24th of June, and the last week in July the young were unable to fly; a period when all the other Sandpipers are on the move south. The eggs were of a deep chocolate colour, and its nest, like that of the Snipe, was on a hummocky tuft of grass. Although I found the young only half fledged the last week in July, and hunted the morasses very carefully, I never flushed or saw a single old bird, yet undoubtedly they must have been there, so difficult is it at that period to get them on the wing, and so entirely different from their habits in the spring. They are undoubtedly numerous, but from their very small size and hiding habits are difficult to be discovered, added to the almost impassable nature of the swamps they frequent. There were several small colonies of them in different parts of the extensive swamp at Fokstuen; I procured five specimens there, and might have obtained as many more, had I desired it; | also procured one nest with four eggs in it.” The following notes, by the late John Wolley, were published in Hewitson’s ‘Eges of British Birds’ :—‘*'The Broad-billed Sandpiper differs from other wading birds in the situation of its nest, choosing open soft places in the marsh, where there is little else than bog moss with a light growth of a kind of sedge, and on a low tuft just rising above the water its nest may be found without much difficulty. .... “But it must not be supposed that this kind of bird-nesting is very easy * 4th Edition, vol. ii. pp. 365, 366. + 3rd Edition, vol. ii. pp. 360, 361. BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER. 3 work. The marshes where the Broad-billed Sandpiper are to be found are few and far between, they are soft and full of water, and often, every step is a struggle, whilst the swarms of hungry gnats require almost individual attention. ‘The sun is scorching at mid-day, but at midnight has not enough power to keep away an unpleasant chill. The country to be gone over is of vast extent, the egg season very short; sleep is seldom attainable, a feverish feeling comes on, and present enjoyment soon ceases. ...... “Tt is just when the thickest clouds of gnats rise from the water (which is so generally spread over the recently thawed land), that the Broad-billed Sandpiper has its eggs, and this is just before midsummer, about the third week in June. ‘“*Many empty nests are found for one that is occupied, and I suppose them to be nests of former years, for the moss in which they are usually worked, long retains any mark made in it, being hard frozen for more than half the year; they are neatly rounded hollows, and have a few bits of dry grass at the bottom. ‘The bird sometimes flies, and sometimes runs, off her eggs; and if she has sat fora day or two, she will come back even whilst men are standing all around. The eggs are usually very deeply and richly coloured when fresh, but they fade sadly soon after they are blown.” ...... The late H. W. Wheelwright, who found a nest of this species in Lulea Lapland, writes as follows * :—‘ Of all the Sandpipers, this certainly is the most unobtrusive and shyest in its habits ; and its custom of creeping among the grass like a little mouse, causes it to be very seldom seen. When flushed, which is never until you nearly tread upon it, it rises with a faint single call-note, flies for a very little distance, then suddenly drops, and it is next to impossible to get it up a second time without a dog. I only found one nest of this Sandpiper. It was in a high fell meadow, where I obtained so many of the Lap Buntings, and I shot both old birds. The eggs were four, very pyriform; ground colour, grey brown, covered all over with minute spots of light umber-brown, nearly hiding the ground colour ; size, 1} in. by $ in.” Mr. F. 8S. Mitchell, in his notes on “ A Spring Tour in Norway,” gives the following details respecting the nidification of this Sandpiper f:—‘‘On the morning of June 9th we had started from Fokstuen station-house for an exploration of the hills on the other side of the marsh, and had not left it half- an-hour when a little Sandpiper, that I did not recognize, got up from under my * © A Spring and Summer in Lapland,’ by “ An Old Bushman,” pp. 354, 355, + ‘Zoologist,’ 1877, p. 204. ; 4 SCOLOPACID. feet, was shot, and, hurrah !—proved to be a Broad-bill! It was at once decided to leave the hills for the marsh, and thither we accordingly went. Before very long four eggs were found, and so one of the prizes we hoped to get was secured. This nest was not on a tump, but a damp, grassy place, in a dry spot almost level with the mud, and consisted of a round, deep hollow filled with dry leaves of the mountain willow, whose brown colour coincided almost exactly with that of the eggs. On the 11th, at another marsh half-way to Jerkin, on which there were no willows, we took four eggs from a nest composed of dry grass simply, and which was a slight depression on a small tump surrounded by water. ‘The colour of these was very much lighter than the first, more like a Dunlin’s. Willow-leaves were not invariably used, even where they were plentiful, as was proved by a nest taken on the 14th from Fokstuen, composed solely of straws. ‘Two others had both leaves and straws mixed, and the rest were like the first in this respect. It was curious that those nests lined with leaves contained the darkest eggs, and — those with straws the lighter-coloured ones. ‘The number was invariably four, and these were all fresh, or nearly so, in the seven nests we took, between the 9th and 15th. The open spaces of the marsh appeared to be preferred, where it was free from bushes, and the ground very soppy and wet. ‘The birds in all cases were very tame, would not get off the nest till nearly trodden on, alighting only a few yards away, and running about among the tumps with an occasional subdued half-chirp half-whistle. The male is never far away, always ready to join his mate if she leaves the nest.” In some further notes on this species communicated to Mr. J. A. Harvie- Brown, and published by Mr. Dresser in his ‘ Birds of Europe’*, Mr. Mitchell states that ‘“‘ the nests are more elaborate than most of the Sandpipers’, scratched deeper down, and more carefully lined.” The Rev. H. H. Slater, in his “Field Notes in Norway in 1882,” writes as follows respecting this species f:—‘ Pretty plentiful at Fokstuen, and just below the station at Hjerkinn. I did not find the nest, nor did the ovary of a female I procured at Fokstuen lead me to suppose I should, though at Hjerkinn—which, both in Ornithology and Botany, is decidedly earlier than Fokstuen, although the places are, as near as possible, at the same altitude (the ornithologist will do well to take Hjerkinn first)—one contained an egg which would have been laid ina few days. ‘They are not easy to shoot, as they have a perplexing way of rising at your feet in a great hurry, and flying off as if they meant to go for miles, and *YVol- vill: 1p: J. t ‘ Zoologist,’ 1883, p. 59. BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER. 5 then, just as they are at a right distance to kill, dropping down suddenly, and causing you to shoot thereby over their heads. They frequent grassy and sedgy parts of the marsh, where the ground is neither too wet nor the vegetation too high, never being seen actually in the water or amongst bushes, but where the soil is such that an ordinary man’s foot would sink a couple of inches into the mud at each step. They lie, usually, very close, rise with a low but shrill whistle, and almost invariably are in pairs; in wet and windy weather, however, like most other birds, they become very wild, and I have seen them at such times go through the same motions as a drumming Snipe, the descending motion with quivering wings being accompanied by a high tremulous whistle. Those shot at Fokstuen have a slight rufous tinge in the breast, due to the iron oxide in the wet soil they frequent.” Referring to this Sandpiper Prof. Collett writes * :—‘ The extensive swampy tracts near Fokstuen, on the Dovre, are the oldest and best known habitat of this bird in Norway. It is, however, a rather common bird on all the fells in the southern parts of the country. On the Dovre, I have found it every season for some years past resident on stretches of exceedingly marshy ground, with a sparse overgrowth of Carices. Their numbers, however, are anything but great. In June 1858, Mr. Lagesen ‘succeeded in killing’ 26 of these birds, and in taking as many nests; but this would be hardly possible at the present time. “When searching for food, they hurry hither and thither, with nodding head and bill pointing obliquely to the ground. If flushed, they will utter a few mellow, flute-like tones, at intervals mingled with a harsher note... . *“ A nest found hereabouts, on the 9th June 1872, contained 4 eggs, which had been sat upon for about eight and forty hours. It was lined with a few straws, and located in one of the most swampy spots, the eggs being half immersed in the cold water. The eggs measured from 52 to 33 by 22 mm. [1:26 to 1°30 inch by ‘86 inch]; on a whitish ground they are thickly covered with reddish brown spots, which collect and form a zone at the bigger end. One of the eggs was lighter (the spots less numerous) than the rest. The old birds kept in the neighbourhood of the nest and displayed considerable anxiety. Incubation-spots were found in both sexes. “The breeding time would appear to be about the middle of June, fresh eges have, however, been found as late as the 24th June, and young birds not fully fledged at the end of July (by Mr. Dann).” * © Remarks on the Ornithology of Northern Norway,’ p. 75. 6 SCOLOPACIDZ. Mr. Seebohm states that the eggs of this species “vary in length from 1:38 to 1:25 inch, and in breadth from 95 to ‘87 inch.” * Mr. H. E, Dresser states that a series of nearly thirty eggs of this species in his collection, all obtained in Lapland, measure from 1:25 by ‘92 inch to 1:22 by °85 inch. f * «History of British Birds,’ vol. iii. p. 200. T ‘History of the Birds of Europe, vol. viii. p. 8. DUNLIN. Tringa alpina, Linnaeus. del latho Wilhelm Greve Berlin DUNLIN. TRINGA ALPINA, Linyaus. ScOLOPACID&. | EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Tain, N.B., May 19, 1890. Tet pollsateennee ep 2. Rockcliffe Marsh, Cumberland, May 27, 102.) ED Aes » 8. Tain, N.B., May 30, 1891. ieee » 4. Cardiganshire, May 13, 1893; J. H. Salter coll. In collection of J. H. Salter, Esq. op 5. Tain, N.B., June 13, 1891. Ta colleen ae 5 6. Rockcliffe Marsh, Cumberland, June 21, s00.| ILM Es es fo Ditto. June 8, 1892. + Ora ee ao Ditto. May 1886. In collection of R. W. Chase, Esq. 35 gh. Ditto. June 21, 1890. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. oy lO): Ditto. May 1886. In collection of R. W. Chase, Esq. rp ulate Ditto. June 8, 1892.4 In collection of » 12. Iceland, May 25, 1883. H. Massey, Esq. The Dunlin is a spring and autumn migrant, but numbers are resident in the British Islands throughout the year. Mr. Howarp Savunpers writes as follows respecting the distribution of this species in the British Islands *:—‘ The Dunlin is the most numerous of the Sandpipers which frequent our shores and tidal rivers, where it may be found throughout the year; for although many of the adults retire inland for nesting-purposes, their place is taken in summer by immature birds. Its favourite breeding- quarters are wild and often elevated moorlands, which are comparatively rare in the south of England; but nests have been found in Cornwall and Devon, and I have seen the young hardly able to fly on Exmoor in Somerset. Satisfactory evidence is wanting as regards Wales f, but the species breeds sparsely in the * «Manual of British Birds,’ p. 569. + [Since this was written the Dunlin has been discovered breeding in Cardiganshire by Mr. J. H. Salter, and in Merionethshire by Mr. H, 8. Davenport (see pp. 5, 6).—F. P.] Q 2 2 SCOLOPACID#. marshes of the Dee in Cheshire, more freely in Lancashire and Yorkshire, and in some numbers on the mosses on both sides of the Solway ; while on the east side its eggs have been obtained in Lincolnshire, and a few pairs are scattered over the moors further north, up to the Cheviots. In Scotland, where suitable situations are abundant, the bird is generally distributed on the mainland— though local in Sutherland, and is rather plentiful on many of the islands as far as the Shetlands. As regards Ireland, it is only known to nest—in small numbers—in the north-west, but in autumn and winter it frequents the coasts in thousands.” Macgillivray writes *:—‘ The Dunlins in fact breed in great numbers on the heaths of many parts of Scotland, and its larger islands, where they may be found scattered in the haunts selected by the Golden Plovers, with which they are so frequently seen in company that they have popularly obtained the name of Plover’s Pages. Sometimes about the middle of April, but always before that of May, they are seen dispersed over the moors in pairs like the birds just named, which at this season they greatly resemble in manners. From this period until the end of August none are to be found along the shores of the sea, instead of searching which, they now seek for insects and worms, in the shallow pools, soft ground, and by the edges of lakes and marshes. The male frequently flies up to a person intruding upon his haunts, and sometimes endeavours to entice him away by feigning lameness. “The nest, which is composed of some bits of withered grass or sedge, and small twigs of heath, is placed in a slight hollow, generally on a bare spot, and usually in a dry place like that selected by the Golden Plover. ‘The eggs, always four, are ovato-pyriform, an inch and four- or five-twelfths in length, eleven-twelfths or a little more in breadth, and have a light greyish-green, or sometimes greenish-yellow, or brownish ground, irregularly marked all over with spots and patches of umber-brown and light purplish-grey, more numerous toward the larger end, where they are often confluent. ‘The female sits very assiduously, often allowing a person to come quite close to her before removing, which she does in a fluttering and cowering manner. “The young, which are covered with close stiffish down, are variegated with yellowish-grey and dark brown, with the bill dusky, and the feet yellowish-brown. Like those of the Golden Plover and Lapwing, they leave the nest immediately after exclusion from the egg, run about, and when alarmed, conceal themselves by sitting close to the ground, and remaining motionless. If at this period a person * ‘History of British Birds, Indigenous and Migratory,’ vol. iv. pp. 208, 209. DUNLIN. 3 approaches their retreat, the male especially, but frequently the female also, flies up to meet the intruder, and uses the same artifices for deceiving him as many other birds of this family. After they are able to shift for themselves, the young remain several weeks on the moors with their parents, both collecting into small flocks, which are often intermingled with those of the Golden Plover, and often in the evenings uniting into larger.” The late Dr. Saxby describes the breeding-habits of this species as follows * :—‘ The breeding haunts of the Dunlin are precisely similar to those of the common Snipe; the same situations are also chosen for the nest, and, of course with the exception of their inferior size, both nests and eggs closely resemble those of that bird. It does not, however, breed so late, the last eggs usually being seen about the beginning of July, and the earliest in the middle of May. Sometimes, but not often, the nest is found upon the tops of the highest hills; those only a few hundred feet above the sea-level are preferred. The vicinity of water in some form seems to be necessary ; and although it sometimes happens that there is none within perhaps a quarter of a mile of the nest, the bed of a recently dried up pool or stream will always be found near. Whena Dunlin is nearly hatching and is suddenly disturbed, she flies off the nest, and alighting almost immediately, runs trailing the wings, and uttering a peculiar shrill cry. When the danger appears to be over, she returns by running until within about twenty yards of the nest, and then, after pausing awhile, and looking round upon all sides, flies the remaining distance. In the breeding season these birds have a singular habit of hovering at a considerable height—perhaps ten or fifteen feet—above the ground, at the same time quivering the wings and uttering a sort of shrill but gentle warbling sound.” Messrs. Macpherson and Duckworth give the following description of the breeding habits of the Dunlin on Rockliffe Marsh, Cumberland + :—* The Dunlin is a later breeder than the Redshank, and though Mr. C. Murray Adamson once found four young Dunlins on Burgh marsh, on May 20th, it is not until the beginning of May that the breeding birds repair in any numbers to Rockliffe marsh for nesting purposes. “Upon the salt marshes, the nest is chiefly embedded in a tussock of long coarse grass, the blades of which are often drawn carefully over the nest ; but, on Rockliffe marsh, many nests are placed among the blushing sea-pinks which cover the northern portion of the ground. At first, the nest is a mere depression * © Birds of Shetland, p. 210. + ‘ Birds of Cumberland,’ pp. 147-149. 4 SCOLOPACIDA. in the soil, with little if any lining; but a lining of fine stems is carefully added as laying proceeds. ‘‘Upon the coastline, the eggs are chiefly laid early in May; but on the east fells incubation is rather later, and we have found fresh eggs as late as the middle of June. “Dunlins exhibit considerable anxiety about their nest, if incubation be advanced ; and it is interesting to watch the little birds flying round an intruder, uttering a gentle trill, or alighting on the ground to run nimbly for a few paces. Some birds sit very close indeed, and may be captured on the nest. ‘The last Dunlin’s nest which we found during the summer of 1885 was on Wedholme flow, June 6th. We were searching for the eggs of a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls, which were sailing magnificently overhead, uttering measured imprecations, when the sharp cry of the startled Dunlin arose, and we saw the bird going away. There, sure enough, on a little dry knoll of heather, surrounded on all sides by boggy ground, was a Dunlin’s nest, lined with a few straws, and containing four rich-coloured eggs, all much incubated. “Tt often happens that some days elapse between the laying of the first egg of a clutch and the second; indeed Mr. A. Smith informs us, that he has known thirteen days elapse between the laying of the first two eggs. “But while the majority of Dunlin lay on our marshes at the beginning of May, laying again and again if their first clutches be robbed or destroyed by a high tide, large flocks may be observed on the coast at the same time. ‘Thus on May 8th we observed a flock composed of about a hundred Dunlin and nearly as as many Ringed Plovers, on the coast at Bowness. As soon after daylight as the tide had retired sufficiently to allow of their feeding, they scattered over the mud exposed, and the twitter of the Dunlins, repeated at intervals by the whole flock, created a sort of running murmur, very grateful to an ornithologist.” Mr. Abel Chapman writes as follows respecting the nesting of the Dunlin on the Border moors between England and Scotland * :—‘* May 8th.... The Dunlins must have eggs now—a week ago their actions showed they had already laid—but on the immense extent of ground, it is all but impossible to discover their nests. Their most favoured haunts are some wide tussocky flow, far out on the hills, and perhaps a mile in circuit. This great flat area is occupied by perhaps but a single pair of Dunlins; hence the difficulty of detecting the exact site of the nest is obvious. ‘To attempt to watch the birds on to it is vexation of spirit. They are so ridiculously tame, running unconcernedly around, almost * © Bird-life of the Borders,’ p. 38. DUNLIN. 5 eas ; : bao within arm’s length, ‘ purring the while in their peculiar fashion, that one imagines the nest must be close at hand. ‘Then after lying patiently watching them, for perhaps half an hour, up goes the Dunlin with a little wild pipe, and flies right out of sight. I have seen them year after year in spots where they certainly do not breed, perform all their presumptively breeding antics, as though gratuitously to deceive one. It will thus be seen that though, in the aggregate, a good many Dunlins nest on the Border moors, yet being scattered widely about in single pairs, they are easily overlooked.” Speaking of the breeding of this species on the Solway Marshes, Mr. Chapman further writes *:—“ Both the species just mentioned [Redshank and Dunlin] breed in some numbers on the great marshes of the Solway, and may there be much more readily studied than on the highlands of Northumberland. These marshes are of great extent—for many miles a dead flat, grassy expanse, hardly raised above sea-level, and intersected by muddy channels and creeks of salt water—a very different region to that frequented by the Dunlins on the “They [Dunlins] build a slight nest, like a Skylark’s, but there is little attempt at concealment. They usually run from their eggs on being disturbed, and as they have perhaps gone several yards before being perceived, one is apt to be deceived in not finding any nest at the spot where the old birds, by their actions, lead one to expect it.” Mr. J. H. Salter, who discovered the Dunlin breeding in Wales, writes - :— “ As the Dunlin, Tringa alpina, is known to nest in Cornwall and Devon, it is a little remarkable that the fact of its breeding in Wales has not hitherto been satisfactorily established. I found it last summer [1892] frequenting a large heather-grown peat bog in Cardiganshire, some twelve miles from the sea. When at the same locality this year [1893], on May 13th, a small wader rose, with the Dunlin’s weak note, and, shuffling along to attract attention, showed the black breast and chestnut mantle of that bird. The four eggs were typical Dunlin’s eggs, smaller than those of the Snipe, and with greener ground colour. Another pair, on May 24th, evidently had young ones hidden amongst the rushes, and must have bred in the neighbouring peat-mosses.” Through Mr. Salter’s kindness I am enabled to figure one of the eggs above referred to. (Figure 4.) Another instance of the Dunlin breeding in Wales is recorded by Mr. H. S. * Op. cit. pp. 39, 40. T ‘Zoologist, 1893, p. 269. 6 SCOLOPACID/. Davenport, who found a nest of this species containing four eggs on a moorland lying midway between Llanuwchyllyn and Trawsfynydd, Merionethshire, on May 29th, 1895.* Mr. H. Seebohm states that the eggs of the Dunlin “ vary in length from 1:4 to 1:2 inch, and in breadth from 1-0 to ‘9 inch.” + Mr. H. E. Dresser says that the eggs of this species measure from 1:2 by -95 inch to 1:4 by 95 inch, and 1:37 by 1:0 inch. He further states that he was informed by the late Mr. Benzon, that the latter, who had often taken the eggs in Denmark, possessed a large series measuring from 1:49 by 1:02 inch to 1:26. by ‘86 inch. ¢ * ¢ Zoologist,’ 1895, p. 275. + ‘History of British Birds,’ vol. iii. p. 186. t ‘History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. viii. p. 27. SANDERLING, Wigs, 1D Ridgway del. Calidris arenaria (Linneus). " 2,3, M.Horman-Fisher del " 4, Poynting del Litho. Wilhelm Greve, Berlin SANDERLING. CALIDRIS ARENARIA (Linn2vs). ScoLopacip&. | EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Arctic Coast, Barren Grounds, Anderson River, June 29, 1863; R. MacFarlane coll. No, 9383 U.S. National Museum Collection. » 2 Grinnell Land, lat. 82° 33’, June 24, 1876; Col. Feilden coll. Natural History Museum, South Kensington. » 3. Iceland, 1875; W. Proctor. (Seebohm Collection.) Natural History Museum, South Kensington. » 4 Wollaston Land; collected by Singleton, Steward of H.M.S. ‘ Enterprise,’ 1852-53. In collection of E. Bidwell, Esq. The Sanderling is a regular spring and autumn migrant to the British Islands, a few birds remaining throughout the winter in some districts. Mr. Howarp SAUNDERS writes * :—‘‘ To the Feroes the Sanderling is a somewhat rare migrant, but it undoubtedly nests in some districts of Iceland; and ten eggs were obtained by the German expedition on Sabine Island, East Greenland, while on the west side nestlings have been captured near Godthaab, and also in 81° 38’ N. by Dr. Bessels of the ‘ Polaris.’ Col. Feilden shot a male from two eggs in lat. 82° 35’ on June 24th, 1876, in Smith Sound, where the bird was not uncommon ; Sabine has recorded it as breeding freely on the Parry Islands; and Mr. MacFarlane killed a female from the first authenticated eggs on the barren- grounds near Anderson River. Westward, it ranges to North Alaska, and, following up its circumpolar distribution, it has been found on the Liakoy Islands, Taimyr Peninsula, Yenesei delta, Waigats, and Novaya Zemlya, and probably breeds near the mouth of the Petchora. Except in the Baltic, where it is scarce, the Sanderling is tolerably common on passage along the coasts of Europe and of the Atlantic Islands, a certain number wintering in the basin of the Mediterranean, while others continue southward to Cape Colony and Natal; it is plentiful from the Persian Gulf to Ceylon, Borneo, and Java, and visits * ‘Manual of British Birds,’ pp. 583, 584. 2 SCOLOPACID#. China, Japan, the Kurils, and the Hawaiian Islands. In America, south of its summer-haunts, it is found down to Patagonia and Chili.” Mr. MacFarlane writes as follows with reference to his discovery of the eggs of the Sanderling * :—‘‘ On 29th June, 1863, we discovered a nest of this species, ‘the only one at that time known to naturalists,’ on the Barren Grounds, about 10 miles west of Franklin Bay. The nest was composed of withered hay and leaves placed in a small cavity or depression in the ground, and it contained four eggs, which were quite fresh. The female was snared. It is a very rare bird in that quarter, and we never afterwards succeeded in finding another nest.” The late Dr. Brewer gives the following description of two of the eggs obtained by Mr. MacFarlane ¢:—‘‘ The two eggs in the Smithsonian Collection (No. 9383) measure, one 1°44 inches in length by ‘95 in breadth ; the other, 1-43 by ‘99. Their ground-color is a brownish olive, marked with faint spots and small blotches of bistre. These markings are very generally diffused, but are a little more numerous about the larger end. They are of an oblong pyriform shape.” Colonel H. W. Feilden gives the following description of his discovery of the eggs of this species {:—‘I first observed this species in Grinnell Land on the 5th June, 1876, flying in company with Knots and Turnstones; at this date it was feeding, like the other Waders, on the buds of Saaifraga oppositifolia. This bird was by no means abundant along the coasts of Grinnell Land; but I observed several pairs in the aggregate, and found a nest of this species containing two eggs in lat. 82° 33’ N., on 24th June, 1876. This nest, from which I killed the male bird, was placed on a gravel ridge, at an altitude of several hundred feet above the sea, and the eggs were deposited in a slight depression in the centre of a recumbent plant of arctic willow, the lining of the nest consisting of a few withered leaves and some of the last year’s catkins. 8th August, 1876, along the shores of Robeson Channel, I saw several parties of young ones, three to four in number, following their parents, and led by the old birds, searching most diligently for insects. At this date they were in a very interesting stage of plumage, being just able to fly, but retaining some of the down on their feathers.” In his “ Notes from an Arctic Journal,” Colonel Feilden gives the following * «Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum,’ vol. xiv. 1891, p. 427. + ‘Water Birds of North America,’ vol. i. p. 253. £ “List of Birds observed in Smith Sound and in the Polar Basin during the Arctie Expedition of 1875-76,” ‘ Ibis,’ 1877, p. 406. SANDERLING. 3 additional details respecting his discovery of this nest *:—“< Whilst walking along some old gravel beaches, at a height of some 800 feet above the sea, I saw a Sanderling running like a mouse amongst the stones. Throwing myself flat on the ground, I watched the bird circling round and round, until at last it returned to near the very spot where I had first observed it moving. The nesting-place was a depression in the centre of a plant of Saliz arctica, and was lined with a few dried leaves and catkins of the plant; the eggs, two in number, may be compared to miniature Curlew’s, but the ground colour is not so green. ‘The sitting bird proved on dissection to be the male.” * © Zoologist,’ 1879, p. 104. SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Totanus macularius (Linneus) Intho Wilhelm Greve Berlin SPOTTED SANDPIPER, ScoLOPAciD&. | TOTANUS MACULARIUS (Liynavs). EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure 1. Toronto Island, Ontario, June 4, 1886. . Ontario, June 12, 1889. . Old Saybrook, Connecticut, June 1, 1891. . Petersburg, Michigan, May 20, 1891. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. . Ontario, July 2, 1887. . Castletown, Vermont, June 9, 1889. . Rutland, Virginia, June 11, 1890. . Labrador. In collection of H. Bidwell, Esq. . Toronto Island, Ontario, June 20, 1889. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. J OOnN DD oO Bb oo vo ” This American species is a very rare visitor to England and Scotland. Rererriné to the distribution and breeding of this Sandpiper in North America, Dr. Coues writes * :— Although reaching high latitudes, such as that of the Yukon, this little species, unlike most of its allies, breeds with equal readiness almost throughout the country, and is one of the best known and most abundant of its tribe. It nests in a field or orchard, generally near water, laying four creamy or clay-coloured eggs, blotched with blackish-brown and neutral tint. From the Southern States, where it spends the winter, as it also does much further south, it reaches the Middle districts about the 15th of April, and is found along the streams and ponds of the interior, as well as on the coast. Many stop to breed all along the line of migration, while others pass on at least to Labrador. Eggs may be found all through June and July, according to latitude, and perhaps in some cases more than one brood may be raised. “ According to Mr, Trippe, in the mountains of Colorado this is the only species of its family that is abundant throughout the summer. It arrives at Idaho Springs early in May, leaving in September. It pushes up all the larger streams to an altitude of 8000 or 9000 feet, and even, occasionally, to the shores of the lakes near the timber-line.” * ¢ Birds of the North-West,’ p. 502. 2 SCOLOPACID. The late Dr. T. M. Brewer writes as follows respecting the nesting habits of this species *:—“The nests of this bird vary in their position and construction. As far as I have noted them, they have been in some small depression in the ground, often sheltered by being placed near a small bush or in a tuft of grass. They are, for the most part, built in the dry open field, never very far from water. Usually they are of very simple structure, being made of dry bent, and answering the purpose of protecting the eggs from the damp ground, but rarely so well interwoven as to bear removal. Mr. Audubon states that the nests of this bird found by him on an island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence were much more bulky, and more neatly constructed, than any seen by him farther south, yet not to be compared with those he had seen in Labrador, where they were concealed under ledges of rocks and were made of dry moss, raised to the height of several inches, and well finished within with slender grasses and feathers of the Eider Duck. The time of nesting varies three months from Texas to Labrador. On Buffalo Bayou in Texas, Audubon found full-grown broods on the 5th of May. In Newfoundland they were only just fledged on the 11th of August. “The young run about with remarkable ease and swiftness almost as soon as they are out of their shell. When danger approaches they immediately, upon an alarm-signal from their parents, run and hide themselves, squatting close to the ground, and there remaining perfectly immovable, resembling a small drab-coloured stone with a single streak of black down the middle. If the young bird finds itself discovered, and an attempt is made to take it, it runs with great celerity, uttering the most plaintive cries, and at the same time the parents exhibit symptoms of distress and counterfeit lameness with great skill... . “The eggs are always four in number, and are of a rounded pyriform shape, varying in length from 1:21 inches to 1°35, and in breadth from *95 to 1:00 inch. Their ground-color varies from a light drab to a dark cream, sometimes tinged with rufous, and occasionally with a muddy clay-color. The markings in some are fine dottings, and in others large and confluent blotches about the larger end. The color of the markings is a rich sepia-brown, with a slight purplish tinge.” Audubon gives the following interesting narrative respecting this species f:— ‘‘My esteemed friend Thomas Macculloch of Pictou, Nova Scotia, having transmitted to me a curious account of the attachment of one of these birds to her eggs, I here insert it with pleasure: ‘ Being on an excursion to the Hardwood Heights, which rise to the west of Pictou, my attention was attracted by the * ‘Water Birds of North America,’ vol. i. p. 304. T ‘Ornithological Biography,’ vol. iv. p. 84. (J) SPOTTED SANDPIPER. warble of a little bird, which appeared to me entirely new, and which proceeded from a small thicket a short way off. Whilst crossing an intervening meadow, I accidentally raised a Spotted Sandpiper from its nest, and having marked the spot I hastened forwards ; but the shyness of the object of my pursuit rendered all my efforts unavailing, and returning to the nest which I had just left, I expected to find it still unoccupied; but the Sandpiper had again resumed her place, and left it with great reluctance on my near approach. The nest contained four eggs, which I determined to remove on my return at night, and for the purpose of preventing the bird sitting again upon them, I placed a number of stones in a slanting position over the nest, and so close that it was impossible for the bird to get into it. On my return in the evening, however, I observed the little creature rise from beside the stones apparently in greater trepidation than ever, and more anxious to draw me away by the exhibition of all those little arts which they practise for this purpose. On examining the spot I was very much surprised to find that the poor thing had not only hollowed out a new nest, but had actually succeeded in abstracting two eggs from the other nest. How the bird had contrived to remove the eggs I cannot conceive, as the stones remained unaltered. This attachment to its nest and eggs appeared to me more singular as the bird had just commenced incubation, the eggs exhibiting very little appearance of the young.’ ” Describing the habits of the Spotted Sandpiper Wilson writes * :—“ This very common species arrives in Pennsylvania about the twentieth of April, making its first appearance along the shores of our large rivers, and, as the season advances, tracing the courses of our creeks and streams towards the interior. Along the rivers Schuylkill and Delaware, and their tributary waters, they are in great abundance during the summer. ‘This species is as remarkable for perpetually wagging the tail, as some others are for nodding the head ; for whether running on the ground, or on the fences, along the rails, or in the water, this motion seems continual; even the young, as soon as they are freed from the shell, run about constantly wagging the tail. About the middle of May they resort to the adjoining cornfields to breed, where I have frequently found and examined their nests. One of these now before me, and which was built at the root of a hill of Indian corn, on high ground, is composed wholly of short pieces of dry straw. The eggs are four, of a pale clay or cream color, marked with large irregular spots of black, and more thinly with others of a paler tint. They are large in proportion to the size of the bird, measuring an inch and a quarter in * © American Ornithology ’ (1818), vol. vii. pp. 60, 61. + SCOLOPACID. length, very thick at the great end, and tapering suddenly to the other. The young run about with wonderful speed as soon as they leave the shell, and are then covered with down of a dull drab color, marked with a single streak of black down the middle of the back, and with another behind each ear. They have a weak, plaintive note. On the approach of any person the parents exhibit symptoms of great distress, counterfeiting lameness, and fluttering along the ground with seeming difficulty. On the appearance of a dog, this agitation is greatly increased; and it is very interesting to observe with what dexterity she will lead him from her young, by throwing herself repeatedly before him, fluttering off, and keeping just without his reach, on a contrary direction from her helpless brood. My venerable friend, Mr. William Bartram, informs me, that he saw one of these birds defend her young for a considerable time from the repeated attacks of a ground squirrel. The scene of action was on the river shore. The parent had thrown herself, with her two young behind her, between them and the land; and at every attempt of the squirrel to seize them by a circuitous sweep, raised both her wings in an almost perpendicular position, assuming the most formidable appearance she was capable of, and rushed forwards on the squirrel, who, intimidated by her boldness and manner, instantly retreated ; but presently returning, was met, as before, in front and on flank by the daring and affectionate bird, who with her wings and whole plumage bristling up, seemed swelled to twice her usual size. The young crowded together behind her, apparently sensible of their perilous situation, moving backwards and forwards as she advanced or retreated. This interesting scene lasted for at least ten minutes ; the strength of the poor parent began evidently to flag, and the attacks of the squirrel became more daring and frequent, when my good friend, like one of those celestial agents who in Homer’s time so often decided the palm of victory, stepped forward from his retreat, drove the assailant back to his hole, and rescued the innocent from destruction.” REDSHANK. COMMON ). Totanus calidris (Linnwus COMMON REDSHANK. TOTANUS CALIDRIS (Linyavs). ScoLoPAciD&. | EXPLANATION OF PLATE. 1. Rockliffe Marsh, Cumberland, May 5, 1892. 2. Westmorland, May 19, 1881. 3. St. Ola, Rendall, Orkney, May 5, 1893. 4, Cumberland, April 21, 1890. 5. St. Ola, Rendall, Orkney, May 5, 1893. » 6, Cumberland, April 26, 1889. In collection of 7. St. Ola, Rendall, Orkney, May 10, 1893. H. Massey, Esq. 8. Holland, May 20, 1884. 9. St. Ola, Rendall, Orkney, May 5, 1893. 10. Westmorland, May 19, 1881. 11. St. Ola, Rendall, Orkney, May 10, 1893. », 12. Ireland, May 22, 1883. The Redshank is a common resident in the British Islands, but is also migratory in the spring and autumn. Mr. H. SeEBon™ writes *:—‘‘ The Redshank is one of the commonest and best known of all the Waders found in the British Islands. It is a resident, frequenting almost all parts of the coasts in autumn and winter, and retiring more or less inland in summer, at which season it is generally distributed, though somewhat local. It breeds in all suitable districts in England, especially in the low-lying eastern counties; and in Scotland it is even more numerous, extending to the Hebrides, the Orkneys, and the Shetlands. In the latter islands it is, however, only sparingly met with in the breeding-season. It is a common bird in Ireland, frequenting the coast in winter, but retiring inland to breed. . . . ‘In consequence of the reclamation of so many of its favourite breeding- grounds, the draining of marshes, and the cultivation of swampy wastes, the Redshank is less numerous in summer in England than was formerly the case. * «History of British Birds,’ vol. iii. pp. 140-142, 2 SCOLOPACIDA. In autumn the coasts swarm with this bird, migrants from more northern breeding-places ; but in spring the majority are compelled to leave, not being able to find a suitable summer residence. ‘This bird seems much attached to its quarters, and often stays to breed in cultivated districts if they happen to be flooded. In some places they return regularly to rear their young in their ancient home, even though the marshes have given place to fields, and green crops have replaced the reeds, rushes, and other swamp vegetation of former “The breeding-season of the Redshank commences in April, and fresh eggs may be obtained from the beginning of that month to near the end of May. Saxby says that in Shetland he has never seen the eggs earlier than the 13th of May. In Northern Europe the laying-season is later; and I have taken fresh eggs on the 22nd of June in the extreme north of Norway. The Redshank is a very sociable bird during the breeding-season, and numbers of its nests may be found ina small area of suitable ground. In the pairing-season the cock bird often soars into the air, and serenades his mate with a trilling sound, or amorously displays his charms by bowing and strutting, opening and closing his wings, and spreading his tail. At this season he sometimes alights on trees or evena post; and Stevenson records instances of a bird of this species performing various manceuvres of courtship as he ran along the top rail of a gate. The site of the nest is on the ground, often in the centre of a grass tuft, or beneath the shade of a tall weed or little bush of heather. The nests are generally cunningly concealed, and arched over by the surrounding herbage, which falls in natural pendants over them. Sometimes a site is chosen amongst the drifted rubbish above high-water mark. The nest is very slight: in many cases the centre of the tuft is trodden down into a receptacle for the eggs, but at other times a few dead bents, straws, or scraps of moss, heath, or reed are placed as a lining to the selected hollow. ‘The eggs are four in number, rather large for the size of the bird, and pyriform in shape. They vary in ground-colour from very pale buff to rich ochraceous buff, and are spotted and blotched with rich dark-brown surface-markings, and with underlying spots of paler brown and grey. On some eggs a few streaky lines of dark brown are pencilled on the large end. Most of the large markings are on the large end of the egg, and some specimens are more finely and handsomely spotted than others. ‘They vary in length from 1:9 to 1°65 inch, and in breadth from 1:3 to 1-17 inch. They are not easily confused with the eges of any other British bird, being yellower in colour than those of the Ruff or Great Snipe, which they somewhat resemble. Only one brood appears to be reared in the year.” Mr. H. E. Dresser states that a fair series of eggs of this species in his COMMON REDSHANK. 3 collection, taken chiefly by himself in Finland, measure from 1°72 by 1:2 inch to 1°65 by 1:12 inch.* Colonel W. Vincent Legge has published the following interesting notes on the nesting habits of the Redshank in South-east Essex + :—‘ The Redshank lays somewhat earlier than the Peewit. I found the first eggs (three in one nest) on the 7th of April. They are very clamorous birds, quitting their nests when one is yet a long way off, and thus rendering them difficult to find. No bird that I have seen conceals its nest so cleverly as this one: it is formed in the centre of a green tuft of grass. The herbage is beaten down to form at once the lining and the bottom of the nest, and the surrounding blades are carefully bent over the top, completely hiding the nest from view. The bird enters and leaves it at the side, closing up the openings when frightened from it. The only traces of the nest are a few tracks in the surrounding grass, where the bird has entered and departed from it. A shepherd said to me, ‘I always knows, sir, there’s a Tooke’s nest in the grass when I sees these ’ere little roads in it. The eggs, as far as I have observed, are always four in number, but they vary much in character: they are mostly of an ochre-yellow or a greenish yellow ground, with bluish grey spots, and then blotted all over, especially at the larger end, with sepia: they are not so thick as the eggs of the Peewit, measuring from one inch nine lines to one inch eleven lines by one inch three lines. The latter I have found one inch six lines in breadth, and they are more pointed. One clutch of Redshank’s eggs had the ground greenish white, with minute specks of brown over the whole surface, and then large blotches and clouds of sepia round the larger end: these were very much pointed, and the shells were very thin.” The late Mr. E. T. Booth writes t :—‘‘ Redshanks usually return to their breeding-haunts on the Norfolk marshes early in March: the 3rd is the earliest date on which I have noted a pair or two showing themselves in the vicinity of their summer quarters. The marshmen usually look upon the return of the Redleg as one of the first signs of spring. In several of the Highland glens I remarked the birds were seldom seen till a month or five weeks later; but when once they make their appearance, nesting-operations are speedily commenced. The date at which eggs are laid varies with the season. In the broad-district in the east of Norfolk, I noticed in 1883 that the majority of the birds had their full complement of eggs by about the 22nd of April; the weather at the time was cold with cutting east winds, and it is probable they were a few days later than usual. * © History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. viii. p. 162. + “ Oological Notes from South-east Essex,” ‘ Zoologist,’ 1867, p. 602. + ‘Rough Notes on Birds observed in the British Islands, vol. 1i. 4 SCOLOPACID#. The Redleg commonly selects the centre of a tuft of rushes about sixteen or twenty inches in height in which to scrape out the small circular depression that forms its cradle: either a few blades of soft dead grass are added, or the weaker strands are broken down and thus supply a scanty lining. The long rank marsh-grass that grows about the roots of the surrounding rushes frequently meets over the eges and forms a covering that effectually conceals them in the absence of the parent bird. Unless carefully examined, it is difficult to ascertain where the bird enters or leaves the nest, so closely do the strands of waving grass entwine above the space: at times a track may be detected among the grass and herbage ; but doubtless the bird is able to force its way through the unresisting covering without leaving the slightest trace. Though apparently concealed so as to defy detection, scarcely a nest escapes the practised eye of the marshman, who has learned his trade by working every spring to supply the market.” Referring to the nesting of this species on Rockliffe Marsh, Cumberland, Messrs. Macpherson and Duckworth write as follows * :—‘ Upon Rockliffe, where the Redshank has nested in increasing abundance of late years, the nest is usually a saucer-like depression in a thick tussock of coarse grass, slightly lined, and carefully concealed. The nests are generally placed a considerable distance apart. The eggs, four of which constitute a clutch, are laid in April, generally from the middle to the end of the month. Ifa Peewit’s egg be substituted for that of the Redshank, the old female will complete the clutch, but if the first egg be taken and no Peewit egg exchanged, she deserts the nest, and forms a new one. The young readily conceal themselves, but their whereabouts may be guessed by the anxiety of the parent birds, which wheel to and fro in loud dismay, uttering their prolonged call-note, which is peculiar to the breeding season.” Mr. Abel Chapman writes ¢ :—‘‘ The Redshank is another bird whose nest is rarely found on the moors, by reason of the sparse and scattered distribution of the breeding pairs, and the elaborate concealment of the nest. These do not, like the Dunlin, breed high up on the fells, but prefer the rushy fields of the lower grounds and small patches of bog. . . . ‘Though the birds were abundant enough on the Solway marshes, there are few nests so difficult to find as that of a Redshank. She hollows out some thick tuft of coarse grass, the tops of which, twined together, completely hide the nest from view. There is merely a sort of tunnel leading transversely through the tuft, which serves for entrance and exit, and her long neck enables the sitting bird * ¢ Birds of Cumberland,’ p. 158. + ‘Bird-life of the Borders,’ pp. 39, 40. COMMON REDSHANK. 5 to observe afar the approach of danger, on which she at once slips silently away. Mere casual search is therefore utterly useless ; it is necessary that the eye should instantly detect the bird as she springs from her nest—no easy matter at perhaps 100 or 200 yards’ distance, and when the air is filled with Peewits and other birds wheeling about. ‘Then, when one does succeed in detecting the movement at the exact moment, there still remains the difficulty of marking the precise spot on so bare and featureless a place.” Mr. T. E. Buckley, in his notes ‘“ On the Birds of the East of Sutherland,” writes as follows respecting this species * :—‘* Common the whole year round, and coming up the strath to breed. I used to take their eggs in a meadow at Balnacoil, about a mile from the house, where there were always several pairs breeding. The nest seems to be invariably placed in a tuft of grass, and like the Peewit, several nests are made before they finally fix on one in which to lay. They are very difficult to find, and during the time they are laying the birds never appear near the nest. The eggs are not laid on four consecutive days. When they go far up the hill to breed, I have generally noticed that they keep near any green spot, and do not nest in heather like the Greenshank.” * «Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Glasgow,’ vol. y. part 1, p. 144. Ls ® - BLACK—-TAILED GODWIT. Limosa belgica (J. F. Gmelin). Ff’ Poynting del Litho Wilhelm Greve Berlin DEACK-=-LATELED GODWIT. ScOLOPACID®. | LIMOSA BELGICA (J. F. Gme.in). EXPLANATION OF PLatE. Figure 1. Dommelen, North Brabant, May 2, 1890. » 2 Astrakan, May 4, 1892. | >, &. Neer, Holland, June 1, 1892. In collection of » 4. Valkenswaard, North Brabant, May 10, 1892. H. Massey, Esq. op Ditto. April 25, 1889. | = Ditto. May 4, 1892. The Black-tailed Godwit is an irregular spring and autumn migrant to the British Islands, a few birds occasionally occurring in winter. REFERRING to the geographical distribution of this Godwit, Mr. Howard Saunders writes *:—‘* At the present day this species is chiefly a visitor to our islands on the spring and autumn migrations, a few individuals being sometimes observed in winter; but down to the year 1829 it used to breed in the fens of Lincolnshire and the Isle of Ely, while eggs were taken in Norfolk as recently as 1847. . . . “The Black-tailed Godwit has been known to nest in the Feroes, and does so annually in the south-east of Iceland, where it is known by the name of jadrakan, or ‘earth-raker.’ On the Continent it breeds sparsely as far north as lat. 64°-65° in Scandinavia and Russia, plentifully in Poland, sparingly again in Silesia, and—where the localities are suitable—in Northern Germany, Denmark, Holland and Belgium; but elsewhere it is chiefly known on migration, in the course of which it occurs in the Canaries and Madeira, its winter-quarters commencing in the basin of the Mediterranean and extending to Abyssinia. In Asia it is found in Western Siberia south of lat. 60° as far as the valley of the Ob, and through Turkestan to the Altai, ranging down to Ceylon in winter; while east of the Lena a larger form—distinguished by separatists as L. melanuroides— inhabits Eastern Siberia and Kamschatka in summer, passing through Japan and * «Manual of British Birds,’ pp. 609, 610. 2 SCOLOPACID#. China to Australia and Polynesia during the colder months. The reported occurrence of the Black-tailed Godwit in Greenland is open to question, and in North America its representative is J. hudsonica, which is smaller and has dark brown instead of white axillaries.” The late Mr. Henry Stevenson published in 1870 the following interesting details respecting the former breeding of this species in Norfolk * :—* The Black- tailed Godwit is another of those grallatorial birds which, within the last half century only, have ceased from breeding in our marshes. It were needless here to repeat the ‘ twice told tale’ of its extinction, the same causes having effected the same end in this as in many other cases, but I have thought it desirable to ascertain as nearly as possible, from contemporary evidence, the date when this fine species ceased to nest in Norfolk. “«« Five species in particular,’ wrote Mr. Lubbock in 1845, ‘used formerly to swarm in our marshes,—the Godwit, the Ruff, the Lapwing, the Redshank, and the Black Tern.... Whilst the Redshank, in the breeding season, flew dashing around the head of the intruder on his territories, and endeavoured like the Lapwing to mislead the stranger from the nest, higher in the air, and flying in bolder circles uttering a louder note, was the Black-tailed Godwit, called provincially ‘the shrieker’ from its piercing cries. This bird is now almost extinct in this part of Norfolk; it used to breed at Buckenham, 'Thyrne, Horsey, and one or two other places.’ Mr. Lubbock evidently wrote guardedly as to their extinction, probably not having the opportunity at that time to ascertain the fact conclusively, but there is no question that prior to the date of his ‘Fauna’ this species had become, what it is now in this county, an irregular migrant only. As far back as 1825, we have the following statement of Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear: ‘Some of these birds used to breed in the marshes of Norfolk, and three years since we received the egg of this species from Yarmouth. But it is doubtful whether they are to be found at present in their former haunts.’ This doubt I can now satisfactorily clear up, on the authority of Mr. Rising, of Horsey, who remembers a Godwit’s nest in that neighbourhood in the summer of 1829, and thinks it quite possible that these birds may have bred there some few years later, but for the next ten years, being invariably engaged in London during the spring months, he had no means of satisfying himself on this point, although greatly interested in the subject. If we assume, then, that in yearly decreasing numbers they still frequented certain favourite localities for a few seasons longer, their extinction may, I think, be said to have occurred somewhere * «Birds of Norfolk,’ vol. a. pp. 248-250. BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. 5 between the years 1829 and 1835. It seems probable, however, that during the next twenty years a pair or two occasionally returned to their old haunts in the spring, though only to be robbed of their eggs, or shot down from their rarity, as I have heard of such occurrences from two or three different sources. Mr. Gurney remembers, some thirty years ago, being informed that a pair or so of Black-tailed Godwits still resorted at times to Sir William Beauchamp Proctor’s marshes, near Buckenham Ferry. This species, also, as Mr. Gurney remarks, was formerly an abundant breeder in Holland, but, like the Purple Heron, Spoonbill, and Little Bittern, has been so destroyed there of late years, that it has become comparatively rare; and this fact would also in some degree account for its scarcity on the Kast coast of England. “In the Catalogue of Mr. E. S. Preston’s collection of eggs, which was sold at Stevens’, 23rd March, 1858, ‘ Lot 95’ consisted of ‘ three Black-tailed Godwits, Reedham, Norfolk, 1857.’ Two of these specimens are now in Mr. A. Newton’s collection, who was assured by Mr. Preston that the above description of the eggs was correct, and that they had been taken in Norfolk. “Mr, A. Newton has also an egg of this bird, given to him by Mr. O. Salvin, who obtained it from a friend of his, Mr. J. King, late of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. ‘This example was bought by Mr. King, in 1847, in the Cambridge market, of a countryman, who had also a young Short-eared Owl alive—and there can be little doubt that both bird and egg had been taken in this country.” Mr. H. E. Dresser writes *:—‘ Respecting the nidification of this Godwit, we translate the following notes contained in a letter received from our friend Dr. L. Taczanowski, of Warsaw:—‘In Poland large numbers breed in two marshy localities on the eastern part of the Vistula, in the Government of Lublin, on the vast marshes between the rivers Wiperz and Bug, and on the marshes by the canal of Augustow. It also breeds in some parts of the Government of Plock, but in fewer numbers, and in other portions of our country is only rarely seen during migration, In the spring, when the snow disappears, they arrive in the marshes and frequent the edges, waiting until the water leaves their nesting- places. Usually they begin breeding early in May, and about the middle of June young may be found fully fledged. They generally breed in large societies, in tolerably damp places covered with high thin herbage where there are tussocks or small dry places, but also in the fields (in scattered pairs or small colonies), and in small marshes covered with grass and bushes. On the top of a tussock or a dry place they make a depression about three inches deep, and line it carefully * ‘History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. viii. p. 216. 4 SCOLOPACID#. and neatly with dry grass, depositing four eggs, which both male and female sit on. Ifa human being approach their nesting-colony, they meet him when some distance from it, uttering loud cries, and returning again and again in larger numbers as he comes nearer to their nests. When he is amongst the nests all the birds fly overhead uttering a continual lamentation. If the intruder remains there any time, they become tamer, and a few return to their eggs, especially if the latter are hard-set. Before they have eggs they are very shy, rarely approaching within gunshot; but when the young are hatched they are most courageous, and will come within a few feet of the intruder, not even retreating when fired at, and dozens may be killed. They will attack a cow or horse if they approach their breeding-places, and attack and pursue any bird of prey or Crow that may pass near. When the young have attained a good size the parents take them to some other place, generally to the fields or shores of the lakes, where they assemble from all parts, and leave when old enough to do so. ‘This is the best time to shoot them, as both parents and young fly near the sportsman, the latter not calling. All the families, when strong enough on the wing, assemble and leave us very quickly, in small flocks, only stragglers remaining as late as July. Mr. Alfred C. Chapman has published the following interesting account of a visit, in 1893, to the breeding grounds of this species in West Jutland * :—* A glance at a map of West Jutland will show that it is broken up into fiords and > 99 marine inlets, communicating with the sluggish rivers flowing from the flat interior. In some cases the junctions of these rivers with the sea form soft marshes, rushy lagoons, and areas of shallow brackish water, more or less studded with islets and promontories overgrown with salt-grass, far removed from the ordinary haunts of aquatic fowl. The marshes, as distinct from the islets and salt-grass promontories, are areas of squashy moss, grass, rush, and bog-plants interwoven one with another, difficult, if not dangerous, to explore; but in most cases there are creeks of water which intersect these marshes in various directions and enable a flat-bottomed boat to be pushed about so as to give access to their interiors. Then it becomes necessary, in the search for eggs, to traverse on foot their squashy surfaces, where, at every step, the ground quakes for yards around in most unpleasant fashion and the water oozes out of the moss well over one’s boot-tops. Such are the places most loved by the Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa agocephala), and on approaching, the wailing cry will soon be followed by the appearance of a bird high in air. That bird has left its nest perhaps a thousand * «A Contribution towards the Ornithology of West Jutland,” ‘ Ibis,’ 1894, pp. 340, 341. BLACK-TALLED GODWIT. 5 yards ahead, nor will it usually return thereto until it has made itself pretty confident that the danger has disappeared. ‘To find the nest is therefore no easy matter ; indeed, after considerable experience, I may say that few birds are so cautious of their nests as Godwits, and even when the nest has, after long search, been luckily discovered, still the old birds never come within range of ordinary gunshot. ‘The general cry of these Waders, when not distressed, may be syllabled as ‘ Tu-ée-tooo’ often repeated, but they have a variety of cries, their distress-call being a clamorous wail, not unlike that of a Common Buzzard, though, of course, not so loud. The date of laying seems to vary considerably, for on May 10th we found our first nest, containing four very hard-set eggs, which must have been laid about the last week in April. Then, on May 13th, we not only found a nest containing four fresh eggs, but we were also fortunate enough to discover a brood of young ones, perhaps two days old. It should be mentioned, in explanation, that we had thrice tried to find this last nest; but the bird always rose from a different part of the marsh, which led us to believe that she must have young, and it was while making, after a long watch, a final effort to find the eggs that we accidentally stumbled on the young birds in the long grass. On one occasion, after we had been lying for some time pretty well concealed, we noticed through the binoculars a Godwit walking and running towards us until it eventually disappeared quite suddenly. We thought it might have sat down on its nest, so we marked the place carefully and then stood up; the bird instantly rose about 150 yards from us, and on walking straight to the spot we were delighted to find the nest with four olive-green eggs. In another instance we observed two birds playing together in the air over a certain part of the bog in such a manner that our suspicions were sufficiently aroused to cause us to cross the quaking surface until we actually walked right on to the nest and its four eggs. ‘The nests were mere depressions in the moss, without any special lining-material, and four is the number of eggs laid. The downy young have extraordinarily developed legs and feet in comparison with the size of the body; the beak and legs are lead-colour ; the body pale yellow or fawn, with darker brownish-coloured streaks or bars; the irides black. Even when only a day or two old, these youngsters were adepts at walking amongst the roughest grass; they uttered a plaintive little call-note when trying to find each other in the grass. By the aid of an old brown-coloured water-dog we were able to secure specimens of the parent birds, but without this dog they never came within shot. ‘The females are much larger and longer in the bill than the males; their heads, necks, and breasts are a pale red or fawn-colour, bellies white, and backs grey, splashed a little with black and russet-coloured feathers.” T 2 6 SCOLOPACIDZ. Respecting the nidification of this species Mr. H. Seebohm writes * :—‘ The breeding-season of the Black-tailed Godwit commences in May, and fresh eggs may be obtained throughout that month. Although the bird is so rare in the British Islands, it breeds commonly on the opposite coasts of continental Europe, whence numbers of its eggs are annually sent to London for sale. Its breeding-grounds are in marshy districts; and although the bird can scarcely be called gregarious at this season, numbers of its nests may be found in a comparatively small area. Capt. Elwes and I took the nest of this bird in Jutland, near Tarm. On the 17th of May we devoted our time to the marshes by the river, poling down stream in a flat-bottomed boat as far as the fjord, to which I have already alluded in my article on the Avocet. In many places these marshes are of great extent. On some of the higher ground a rank grass grows, but in most places it is moss, lichen, peat, sand, and sedge, except where we sank a few inches in the water. It was rough- drained in most places, with dykes a yard or more wide, but in general we found a good bottom. ‘The river was dammed-in with turf-banks, though it sometimes divided into several streams, and occasionally opened out into a lake full of Equisetum limosum. In one place the marsh was full of patches of reeds four or five feet high. Tke total length down to the fjord was perhaps eight “At last we came upon several pairs of Black-tailed Godwits, whose loud cries betrayed the vicinity of their nest or young. Once or twice we heard their call-note, from which the name Godwit is derived, and which sounds like tyii-it; but the alarm-note—a loud, clear, rich tyii, tyi—was almost incessant as they hovered over our heads, with their feet projecting beyond their broad tails. As we crossed and recrossed the ground in every direction, they watched us with the greatest anxiety, sometimes flying away for a short time, but always reappearing again with renewed cries. In two places we spent at least an hour in a fruitless search for the eggs, and finally we came to the conclusion that they had young, and gave up the attempt. After spending some time in exploring the south shore of the fjord, we crossed to the north shore as a sort of forlorn hope. Here a small colony of Black-headed Gulls revived our drooping spirits, and then, by pure accident, I stumbled upon the nest of a Black-tailed Godwit. It was a mere hollow in the short coarse herbage, on the dry part of the ground, somewhat deep, and lined with a handful of dry grass. The eggs, four in number, were slightly incubated ; but we did not see a trace of the parent * «History of British Birds,’ yol. iii. pp. 164, 165. BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. 7 birds. A few yards from this nest a Shoveller was sitting on nine eggs, considerably incubated. “The eges of the Black-tailed Godwit are four in number when the full complement is deposited, olive-brown or pale olive-green in ground-colour, indistinctly blotched and spotted with darker olive-brown, and with underlying markings of greyish brown and pale inky grey. On some eggs the markings are very pale and ill-defined. They are pear-shaped, and vary in length from 2:2 to 2°05 inch, and in breadth from 1°52 to 1-45 inch, It is impossible to give any reliable points of distinction between the eggs of this Godwit and those of the Bar-tailed Godwit, which require the most careful identification. Only one brood is reared in the year. When the young are hatched the old birds become much tamer, and approach within a few feet of the intruder. It is said that they attack any predaceous bird that may chance to put in an appearance on their breeding- grounds.” Mr. H. E. Dresser states that he was informed by the late Mr. Benzon, who met with this species nesting in Denmark, that the eggs measure from 1°89 by 1:45 inch to 2:2 by 1:49 inch, two varieties measuring 2°04 by 1°37 inch and 1:96 by 1:37 inch respectively. Mr. Dresser further states that Dr. Rey gives the average measurements of 50 eggs of this species in his collection as 2°13 by 1:46 inch, the largest measuring 2°35 by 1°48 inch, and the smallest 2:04 by 1:37 inch.* Mr. H. Bendelack Hewetson informs me, at the moment of going to press that the Black-tailed Godwit has been discovered nesting on the coast of Lincoln- shire as recently as in 1885, by Mr. Bert Hamerton, of St. Alban’s Vicarage, Leeds. At my request Mr. Hewetson kindly obtained the following particulars of the discovery, which I quote in Mr. Hamerton’s own words :—“I am pleased to describe the circumstances under which I found the Black-tailed Godwit’s egg, and will endeavour to do so as accurately as possible. The part of the coast is situated about 8 or 10 miles south of Wainfleet, and is an extensive stretch of grassy marsh, on the sea-side of the sea-bank, dotted all over with innumerable pools of all shapes and up to the size of a tennis-lawn, mostly very shallow. The marsh is crossed by drains from the land, which are guarded by sluices at the sea-bank. These drains run into wide muddy creeks, which the sea fills in spring-tides only. There is a large area of land raised to a slightly higher level than the marsh which swrrownds it; this is covered with very tall reedy grass, which tends to grow in tussocks round the edges of the pools and * ¢ History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. vill. pp. 216, 217. 8 SCOLOPACID. boggy places scattered over this area. It was under the overhanging grass of one of these tussocks, about two yards from the edge of a pool, that I found the Godwit’s nest. I have no distinct recollection of the formation of the nest, or, rather, spot on which the eggs rested, so I will not attempt a description. There were two eggs, but being then of a more sentimental turn of mind than now, and having no idea what I had found, I just took one egg, lest I should hurt the feelings of the old bird. I came upon the eggs by accident, while looking for those of Redshanks, numbers of which birds still breed there. It was in the year 1885, and, I believe, the month of June. I have a dim recollection of standing with the egg in my hand, staring at a strange bird wheeling high in the air, uttering a peculiar cry, with which I was unfamiliar. It may or may not have been the old bird. Horses and sheep now graze on these marshes, which are never in the highest tides entirely submerged. Except that there are now more drains and fewer boggy places, the character of these marshes has not, I think, altered to any very obvious extent.” . From the foregoing graphic account it will be seen how admirably this Lincolnshire marsh was suited to the nesting requirements of this species. The egg is still in Mr. Hamerton’s possession, and Mr. Hewetson, who has seen it, informs me that it is unquestionably that of a Black-tailed Godwit. WHIMBREL. Numenius phzopus (/inneus). Litho. Wilhelm Greve Berlin WHIMBREL. NUMENIUS PHOPUS (Linyavs). ScOLOPACID&. | EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Figure » Shetland, May 25, 1885. In collection of R. W. Chase, Esq. » 9 Akureyri, Iceland, June 25, 1888. » 4. Pomerania, May 25, 1887. » 5. Archangel, June 2, 1887. » 6. Iceland, June 9, 1888. In collection of H. Massey, Esq. The Whimbrel is a common spring and autumn migrant, a few pairs remaining to breed in the Orkneys, Shetlands, and probably in the Outer Hebrides. Tue late Mr. E. T. Booth observed a pair of these birds apparently breeding on an islet off the west coast of Ross-shire. He writes *:—‘ But two or three pairs of Whimbrel which might reasonably be judged to be engaged in nesting- operations were fallen in with during the two seasons (1868 and 1869) in which I devoted particular attention to examining the reputed haunts of these birds. While off the west coast of Ross-shire early in June 1868, in a small fishing-craft during a fresh breeze of wind, a pair of Whimbrels flew up from one of the rocky islets lying outside Loch Ewe, and continued for some time hovering over the boat, calling loudly and evidently greatly distressed by their lonely abode being threatened with a visit. These noisy birds were shortly joined by two or three others which came from some of the adjacent islands. Though several attempts were made, the surf was breaking so heavily round the rocks that there was not the slightest chance of effecting a landing. There did not appear above a quarter or at most half an acre of coarse heather and grass on the summit of this wild and rugged mass of red rock, that rose but twenty or thirty feet at the highest point above the waves, which were constantly breaking around with terrible force. On the following day the attempt to search the spot was renewed, though * «Rough Notes on Birds observed in the British Islands,’ vol. ii. 9 SCOLOPACIDA. unfortunately without success. ‘The same birds were again seen; and from their actions I was convinced there could be little doubt they were nesting. A continuation of stormy weather, which set in with still greater fury, put an end to all hopes of exploring this terribly exposed coast before I left the district.” Colonel Feiiden writes as follows respecting the nesting of this species in the Feroe Islands, where he spent six weeks in May and June 1872 *:—‘ Svabo mentions that they arrive about the middle of April and depart by the 29th of September. Herr Miiller has seen some as late as the 3rd of October. On the 16th of May I noticed them, though paired, in flocks near to Thorshavn, feeding on the meadows; soon afterwards they separated and betook themselves to the breeding-grounds. ‘They are so abundant as a breeding species that we never seemed to be able to get out of their sight; they were constantly flying round us in company with the oyster-catchers. The first nest of the whimbrel that we procured was on the 25th of May, in the Island of Suderoe ; afterwards we found and received them in considerable numbers. On the 17th of June I got twelve nests, each with four eggs, which had been collected for me the week previously from the vicinity of Nordedhal, Stromoe ; all were quite fresh. On the 16th of June I found a nest with four eggs in rather a singular position: it was placed close to a rill, between two blocks of stone, which just gave room enough for the bird to squeeze between. The whimbrel is of a pugnacious disposition whilst breeding, and is constantly on the alert to drive off intruders from the vicinity of its nest; I have watched them by the hour chasing the lesser blackbacked gull (L. fuscus). When engaged in these combats their flight is rapid and arrow-like, whilst they constantly repeat their trilling cry, which has not inaptly been described as resembling the words ‘ tetty, tetty, tetty tet, quickly repeated. A beautiful white variety is in Herr Miiller’s collection.” Messrs. H. H. Slater and 'T. Carter give the following information respecting the breeding of the Whimbrel in Iceland, which they visited in 1885 ¢:—‘ Of Whimbrels’ nests we found plenty. One is noteworthy; it contained only three eggs, much incubated; close beside the nest, which was on a tussock in a marsh, lay, in a small artificial heap, about a tablespoonful of small rounded pebbles, the size of peas, all of which must have been brought from the river, nearly a mile off. Perhaps they were a supply of accessory molars for the young birds when hatched. “Whimbrel rise wild from the nest; or, more probably, slip off the nest * «The Birds of the Feeroe Islands,” ‘ Zoologist,’ 1872, p. 3248. t ‘‘ Field Notes from Northern Iceland,” ‘ Zoologist,’ 1886, p, 154. WHIMBREL. 3 unnoticed as soon as you are anywhere near them, and run some distance before taking wing. The very broken nature of the ground, combined with the large number of other Whimbrels about, prevented our seeing them leave the nest, except on two occasions, on both of which we came upon them suddenly round a corner; from one nest C. saw the bird steal a few yards off, and S. walked on to a sitting bird, who flew off.” Referring to this species, Mr. H. E. Dresser writes *:—‘“ In Norway, as we are informed by our friend Mr. Robert Collett, ‘it is chiefly found during the breeding-season north of the Trondhjems fiord, where it is numerous in the coast- region of Nordland and Finmark, in the latter localities commoner than Numentus | arquatus. In Southern Norway, where this latter species is so numerous, the Whimbrel is rare during the summer, and found only here and there, though breeding in the fells at an altitude of from 3000 to 4000 feet above the level of the sea, as on the Jotunfjeld and in Thelemarken ; but it is only found there in scattered pairs. The nest is simply a depression in the soil on the top of some slight elevation in any comparatively dry spot in the marshes, and is usually lined with a few grass-bents or leaves of Rubus chamemorus. The old birds are very shy, and can rarely be approached within gunshot, though fond of their young.’ On the Tromsé island Mr. Collett found incubated eggs on the 17th of June.” Mr. Dresser further states that he possesses a series of Whimbrels’ eggs, all obtained on the Feroe Islands, the measurements of which vary from 2°57 by 1:62 inch to 2°25 by 1°57 inch; also that 27 eggs of this species measured by Dr. E. Rey averaged 2:29 by 1°6 inch, the largest measuring 2-44 by 1°69 inch, and the smallest 2°14 by 1:55 inch. Mr. Dresser further says that a series obtained by the late Mr. Benzon from the Feroes and Iceland measured from 2°56 by 1°69 inch to 2:12 by 1°61 inch. Mr. H. Seebohm states that the eggs of this species ‘‘ vary in length from 2°5 to 2°2 inch, and in breadth from 1:75 to 1°6 inch.” F * «History of the Birds of Europe,’ vol. viii. p. 234. + ‘History of British Birds,’ vol. i. p. 102. A few Opinions expressed by Subscribers on Part I. “Mr. Poyntiya’s egg-pictures are by far the best since Hewitson.”—LorpD LILFoRD (President of the British Ornithologists’ Union). “ Mr. Poynting’s plates are, without exception, the very best of any that have hitherto been published here or on the Continent on oology, and I most sincerely wish him success, and trust that he may continue the work until he has made it a complete work on British Oology."—H. E. Dresser (Author of the ‘ Birds of Europe,’ &c., &c.). “Can appreciate the great success in these beautiful figures.”—(Rev.) Murray A. Matsew (part Author of the ‘ Birds of Devon’ and Author of the ‘ Birds of Pembrokeshire ’). “Out and out the finest work I ever hoped to see; it is simply perfect.”— H. Benpetack Hewertson (F.L.S., F.Z.S., M.R.C.S., President of the Leeds Naturalists’ Club and Scientific Association). ” “Tam charmed with what you sent me this morning.’—H. S. Davenport. “T think the plates are splendid.”—F. H. Barcuay. “The finest illustrations of eggs I have yet seen.’—A. MacomB CHANCE. “These illustrations are the best—out and out—that have appeared as part of a series."—J. A. Harvie-Brown (part Author of ‘The Vertebrate Fauna of Scotland’ Series). “Having become a subscriber to your most beautiful book of eggs of the Limicole, I venture to write and urge you to continue your splendid drawings of eggs and to take in the whole of the British Birds’ eggs... .... Looking at your drawings gives me, I think, as much pleasure as having the eggs before me.” . . . .—ArtTHuR NewaALt (to the Author). “T think the illustrations of the eggs of the Limicole are the best I have seen of the kind, and could not be surpassed.” —H. Jones (Major). PART III.) [FEBRUARY 1896. iGo 2 RI TIS BIRDS Bole Onl: Aes (PLOVERS, SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, &c.). BY RANE OY NTING. CONTENTS. Riyeep Prover (Ayialitis hiaticula). | Jack Syirs (Gallinago gallinula). Lirttr Rinerp Prover (Ayialitis curonica). Bonaparte’s Sanpprrer (Z'ringa fuscicollis). Kentisu Prover (digialitis cantiana). | American Srryz (Zringa minutilla). Kartprer Prover (Avgialitis vocifera). Rurr (Machetes pugnac). Grey Paaxarore (Phalardpus fulicarius). Common Curtew (VNumenius arquata). Rep-neckep Puatarorr (Phalaropus hyperboreus). Esxito Curtew (Numenius borealis). may 16 1914