212 TBINGA CINCLUS. 



near each other. These notes could not be heard at a 

 greater distance than twenty yards, and would thus he en- 

 tirely lost to the casual observer. All at once I heard a 

 singular noise, which might be likened to a cough, shrill 

 and feeble as it was, and presently found that it came from 

 one which, having picked up something too large for its 

 gullet, stood endeavouring to swallow it by repeated jerks, 

 at each of which it emitted a sharp wheezing or hissing 

 sound. The rest paid no attention to the distressed bird, 

 which in about three minutes got the morsel down, and 

 resumed its search. While thus busily employed, and quite 

 regardless of me, although so near that I could see their 

 little dusky eyes, and distinguish by its tints one individual 

 from another, a Sandpiper, Totanus hypoleucos, came silently 

 gliding over them at the height of not more than three feet. 

 It was beautiful to see how they all rose simultaneously on 

 wing, to the height of from two to four feet ; and finding 

 that they had no cause of alarm, immediately re-alight. I 

 now struck my note-book against my hand, when they all 

 rose, but alighted about five yards off, and three of them 

 came within ten paces of me. As nothing more was to be 

 seen, I examined the marks made by them in the mud. 

 Although it was soft, very few footmarks were left; but the 

 place was covered with numberless small holes made by their 

 bills, and forming little groups, as if made by the individual 

 birds separately. Of these impressions very many were mere 

 holloAvs not larger than those on a thimble, and not half a 

 twelfth of an inch deep ; others scarcely perceptible ; while 

 a few were larger, extending to a depth of two-twelfths ; and 

 here and there one or two to the depth of nearly half-an-inch. 

 On scraping the mud, I could perceive no worms or shells. 

 It is thus clear that they search by gently tapping, and it 

 appears that they discover the object of their search rather 

 by the kind of resistance which it yields, than by touch like 

 that of the human skin. 



When searching the beaches on which waves are 

 breaking, and when they are necessarily in very rapid 

 motion, they utter louder, although still faint cries ; and by 

 stooping more rapidly seem to jerk up their tail, although it 



