SANDPIPERS AND THE SANDERLING 57 



the most hurried manner— are covered in their rifts 

 and hollows with a vegetation peculiar to them- 

 selves, providing- ample cover for birds. Grass 

 grows on all these stacks ; and the situations are 

 certainly very high. Those competent to judge 

 think that, if certain dangerous rocks could be 

 properly explored in the breeding season round the 

 coasts of Scotland and the wild western coasts of 

 Ireland, some at present obscure matters respecting 

 bird life might be cleared up. 



But the question is, how to get there ? And a 

 still more difficult one would be, how to get away ? 

 Those that have sailed there will understand what 

 I mean. When I have picked up a small Stint I 

 have wondered that a little wader, only six inches 

 long from bill to tail, should be able to travel so 

 far ; but on examination I found there was nothing 

 to wonder at, for the bird is exquisitely formed for 

 achieving long journeys. 



The upper parts of the Common Sanderling's 

 plumage varies ; this is owing to a mixture of old 

 and new feathers ; the full winter plumage is com- 

 pleted by December. 



Before leaving this class of birds, so very difficult 

 to distinguish at times, let me advise my readers 

 never to differ with a fowler about names ; for he 

 has known the birds by the names he gives them 

 from his childhood, and so has his father before 

 him. No more deadly insult can be offered to him 

 than that of a stranger coming and assuming that 

 he knows more about the birds than himsell. 1 he 



