4 o BRITISH NESTING BIRDS 



Nesting Period. — April and May, sometimes earlier and later. 



Site of Nest. — Among rushes and sedges near water, or in a wood. 



Materials Used. — Aquatic plants and grass. 



Eggs. — Ten to Twelve. Pale green. 



Food. — Water insects, frogs, fish and their spawn, grain, etc. 



Voice. — Call, "quack," as well as "quork," or " dree-k, dree-k." 



Chief Features. — This is a fine sporting bird, and a splendid flier when 

 once well on the wing. The male in his best plumage is a really 

 handsome bird, and easily outvies in the luxury of dress his 

 sober-clad mate. The Duck (female) and Drake (male) moult 

 at different times. The latter goes into hiding as soon as his 

 mate commences to sit. He then moults and comes forth in 

 the garb of the female! In the Autumn a further change of 

 plumage takes place, and it is then that he assumes the beautiful 

 attire in which he is seen during the Winter months. Many 

 foreign Ducks come over in Winter and meander along the 

 saltings and mudflats. 



Plumage. — The bill is yellowish; glossy green head and neck, with 

 a ring of white following; deep chestnut on hind neck and 

 breast; greenish-purple speculum, bordered above and below 

 with white, is across the secondaries ; black rump, as well as 

 upper tail-coverts, and the curled tail-feathers, which are four 

 in number, the remaining feathers of the tail being grey ; flanks 

 and belly greyish - white ; velvet - black under tail - coverts ; 

 orange-red legs and feet. The female is smaller, and has a 

 greenish bill; dark-brown crown; and the general plumage is 

 mottled brown and buff. Length. — Twenty-four inches. 



DUNLIN (Tringa alpina) 



Local Names. — Bull's Eye, Bundie, Churr, Dunlin Sandpiper, Least 



Snipe, Ox Bird and Purre (young), Oxeye, Plover's Page, Red- 

 ked Sandpiper (immature), Sea Lark, Sea Snipe, Stint, 



Wag Tail (young). 

 Haunt. — Fens and moors in Summer, as well as seashore and 



marsh lands, but latter chiefly in Winter. 

 Nesting Period. — May or June. 

 Site of Nest. — A depression in the ground, the nest generally being 



hidden by grass, heather, or rushes. 

 Materials Used. — Roots, dry grass, or bents, sometimes a little moss 



and a few twigs. 

 Eggs. — Four, pointed. Greenish-white, blotched with reddish-brown. 

 Food. — Small crustaceans and insects. 

 Voice. — A hoarse, grating cry, but in the Spring the male utters a 



trilling love-call. 



