398 Mr. H. Durnford on North-Frisian Ornithology. 



Squatarola helvetica. 



Many observed near Husum feeding on a tidal marsh and 

 mudbanks of the creek^ mostly in pairs. A few seen on 

 Sylt. 



^GIALITIS HIATICULA. 



Common on Sudfall, but not so numerous as the next 

 species, which is found all over the island, while this only 

 frequents the sea-beach. On Sylt j^gialitis hiaticula was 

 more numerous than JE. alexandrina ; and on Amrum the 

 proportion was about one to three. On the coast at Husum 

 we reckoned the proportion of j^. hiaticula to j3L. alexandrina 

 at about one to ten. At Hoyer, the most northern point of 

 the mainland we visited, the former was numerous ; and we 

 did not see jE. alexandrina there, probably owing to the 

 nature of the ground, which was clothed with a scanty vege- 

 tation. To sum up, JEl. hiaticula is found more especially on 

 shingle and where the vegetation is slight, as it often prefers 

 nesting amongst a few blades of grass. It is much more de- 

 monstrative when its nesting-ground is invaded than ^. alex- 

 andrina ; and its note is much stronger than that bird's. 



^GIALITIS ALEXANDRINA. 



Many observations on this species would only be a repetition 

 of those on the preceding. We never saw it where there was 

 any vegetation, as it prefers the most barren spots. The nests 

 were generally on fine shingle or gravel in the most exposed 

 places. On Sudfall we found a nest amongst clods of earth 

 on the marsh, lined with a few fragments of roots of grass. 

 Its note is much weaker than that of jE. hiaticula ; and it 

 never flies round one on approaching its nest, but contents 

 itself with feigning lameness, or flying a short distance and 

 then pitching again and running on in front of the observer, 

 uttering a feeble whistle — twee, twee, twee. It appears a 

 much more slender bird than jE. hiaticula, and, when flying, 

 of a lighter colour on the back ; when standing on the ground 

 and facing one, the two patches of black, one on each side of 

 the breast, are very conspicuous. The nest seemed to be 

 somewhat smaller than that of the other species ; it is 



