FOR CAGES AND AVIARIES, 179 



and thick-set clumsy shape. It is frequently seen in 

 company with the Dunlin, is very active, flying and running 

 with a very graceful action. It sometimes breeds in the 

 north of Scotland, but as a rule retires within the Arctic 

 Circle for that purpose. It is about 8 inches in length 

 and may weigh a couple of ounces or a little more. It 

 moults twice — in autumn and spring — and the summer 

 plumage is darker than that it wears during the winter; 

 in the latter season it is greyish white. 



THE SANDPIPERS. 



The Common Sandpiper. 



A pretty little creature with a rather long greenish bill, 

 and legs and feet of the same colour; it is often called 

 the Summer Snipe and comes to us from the north in 

 April, returning in September. 



The plumage is very soft, almost silky in texture, of a 

 greenish grey above and white on the under surface of 

 the body slightly tinged with green and grey. It is 

 about the size of a Snipe and lays four eggs of a creamy 

 white speckled with brown and very large for the size 

 of the bird. 



The food is the same as that of the other members of 

 the family in captivity, like which it is by no means difficult 

 to preserve in a suitably appointed place, if fed as nearly 

 as possible on its natural diet. The young at first are 

 thickly coated with grey yellowish down, they have a 

 black mark on the head, and another along the centre 

 of the back. 



The Dunlin, or Purre. 



This bird has a very "snipish" appearance, and not 

 unfrequently does duty for a Snipe on the table; it 

 is, however, one of the Sandpipers, and is very abundant 

 throughout the British isles. It is essentially a sea-side 

 bird, and is very seldom found at any distance inland : 

 when so seen it has been driven in by stress of weather. 



