292 HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



the Dunlin lose their handsome black breasts ; mdeed, an 

 observer being familiar with them only when they frequent 

 the coast during the winter months would scarcely recog- 

 nise them at their nesting sites. More than any bird 

 the Dunlin possess the remarkable power of wheeling and 

 doubling as one individual at an instant's notice, even 

 when they are in great flocks, and it would be inter- 

 esting to know by what means the sudden order is com- 

 municated to the assembly. 



Description. — The adult male in summer plumage has 

 the bill black and top of the head almost black. Neck 

 greyish white streaked with black. Feathers of the back 

 and scapulars black, with rufous edges. Wing coverts 

 ash grey. Pimaries grey black with white shafts. Secon- 

 daries grey black edged with white. Rump and upper 

 tail coverts black and grey. Tail grey and brown. Chin 

 white. Breast handsomely coloured with black, a few 

 white feathers appearing. Vent, thighs, under tail coverts 

 white. Legs and feet black. The females are rather 

 larger than the males, weighing 2 oz. against 1| oz., the 

 weight of the male. Their plumage resembles that of the 

 cock birds. 



In winter the Dunlin loses its black breast, its under 

 parts becoming almost white, and the whole bird is less 

 brightly coloured. 



Albino Dunlins have very occasionally been recorded, 

 but the bird is subject to a good deal of variation in its 

 plumage. 



