DUNLIN. 225 



and from near Todmorden I have myself examined a 

 clutch of young in down, and have been informed that 

 Dunlin appear there every summer. On May 9th, 1880, 

 I saw a fine black-breasted bird there, but could not 

 raise its mate, and newly-hatched young were found in 

 1876 on May 20th, and in 1877 on May 28th. Mr. T. 

 Altham has seen it on the Bowland fells, and on Pendle 

 it has been observed several times in full breeding- 

 plumage, but a thoroughly-authenticated nest has never, 

 to my knowledge, been taken there. In 1876, on May 

 20th, Mr. W. Purnell found three eggs, which, unfortu- 

 nately', had been disturbed, and one sucked, and their 

 connection with several Dunlin which were seen on the 

 hill at the same time could not be traced. In Furness, 

 Mr. W. A. Durnford states that it is resident, but does 

 not nest, and small flocks, indeed, may be seen in every 

 month of the ye&r along the whole of the shore. By 

 the end of April the winter flocks are broken up, the 

 black breast of the summer plumage has been assumed, 

 and the birds leave for their breeding-quarters, return- 

 ing towards the end of July, and gradually increasing 

 until the enormous quantities which are seen in October 

 are again collected. Mr. T. Jackson says he has shot a 

 large quantity at a time by moonlight at high water, 

 and that they seem to collect on the edge of the sea in 

 the night-time ; they are by no means shy during the 

 day, and are always easy of approach. The Dunlin is 

 not often seen inland in winter, l)ut Mr. R. Davenport 

 tells me that it has many times lieen shot on the Bury 

 reservoir and at other places in the neighbourhood. 



