31 



DUNLIN. 



PURRE. DUNLIN SANDPIPER. SEA SNIPE, PLOVER's 

 PAGE. STINT. LEAST SNIPE. SEA LARK. 



PLATE CLXXVIII. — FIG. I. 



Tn'iiffa variahiUs, . . . Selby. Jenyns. 

 Tfinga alpina, .... Pennant. Montagu. 

 Tringa cinclus, . . . Pennant. Montagu. 



The nest of the Dunlin is usually located under the 

 shelter of some tuft or small bush, in any dry spot on 

 marshy moors and heaths, mosses or salt marshes, as 

 well as by the sea. It is often concealed, intentionally 

 or unintentionally, with great success, so as to be very 

 difficult to find. Sometimes, however, it is fashioned 

 upon the open grass which grows green and verdant 

 here and there among the dark heather, "lonely, lone- 

 some, cool, and green." A few bits of moss, withered 

 heath, or grass, form its careless lining, if there be any 

 in it, the same materials being for the most part 

 merely rounded into form — a natural cradle. 



The eggs are four in number, of a greenish white, 

 greenish grey, or dull green colour, blotted and spotted 

 with a darker and a lighter shade of brown, most so 

 towards and at the larger end. Some have the ground 

 a light blue inclining to dull white, others a clear light 

 green, richly spotted with light brown. They are 

 deposited in the nest with the smaller ends inwards. 



