DUNLIN. 185 



of both continents — in Asia up to lat. 7-1°, but in America probably not so 

 far north. It breeds in Greenland, on Iceland, and the Faroes, and in 

 suitable localities throughout Scandinavia, Denmark, Finland, and the 

 Baltic Provinces. An isolated instance is on record of its having bred in 

 Spain ; and I have an egg in my collection out of a clutch of four from 

 which the bird was shot by Mr. Abel Chapman in the marshes of the 

 Guadalquivir. It winters in the basin of the Mediterranean, in Spain and 

 Portugal, and in North Africa — on the west coast it has not been found 

 further south than the Canaries, but on the east coast it crosses the line 

 to Zanzibar. On migration it passes along the valleys of the Kama and the 

 Volga, and through Turkestan, to winter on the southern shores of the 

 Caspian and the Mekrau coast. I did not meet with it in the valley of 

 the Yenesay until lat. 69°; Dybowski did not obtain it near Lake Baikal, 

 neither has it occurred in the valley of the Amoor except near the coast. It 

 passes on migration along the east coast of Siberia, visiting Japan and 

 North China, and winters in South China, Formosa, Borneo, and Java. 

 It has not occurred in Burma, and is only a rare visitor to the coasts of 

 North India. On the American continent it migrates along both coasts, 

 and winters in the Southern States and in the West Indies, 



The Dunlin is probably the most numerous of all the Sandpipers and 

 the most gregarious. Enormous flocks of these birds frequent the coast 

 during winter ; and even at its breeding-grounds it is constantly seen in 

 flocks. The latter may be composed partly of birds of the previous year 

 which are not breeding, and partly of males, the duties of incubation being 

 carried on by their patient females, who only join them at low tide to feed. 

 Neither in summer nor in winter are the flocks always large, but may 

 consist of any number of birds from a few individuals to a few thousands. 

 As a rule, the larger the flock is the more wary are the birds. They are 

 also fond of associating with other Sandpi^iers, especially on migration. 

 It is almost exclusively a shore-bird, and " hugs the coast '^ even on 

 migration, though a few small parties are occasionally seen on the inland 

 lines of flight. It occasionally visits the sandy shores of the ocean, but its 

 favourite resorts are the mud-banks which are principally found at low 

 water in the estuaries of rivers. In such situations it may be seen tripping 

 daintily on the slimy surface in small and large parties, eagerly searching 

 for the little worms and other marine insects on which it feeds, wadina: 

 into the little pools, and sometimes even venturing to allow itself to be 

 overtaken by the miniature wavelets that run along the sandy mud, as the 

 spent pulses of the tide ebb and flow on the shore. When alarmed the 

 flock rises instantaneously, as if obeying the command of one leader, and 

 flies ofl" in perfect order, seldom leaving a straggler behind ; at a very short 

 distance the birds are invisible against the similarly coloured ground, but 

 ever and anon the observer may see the flash of a hundred wings, reflecting 



