2 SCOLOPACID.i:. 



communicated by the late Mr. Richard Dann to tlie late Mr. Yarrell, who 

 published them in his ' History of British Birds ' * : — " This Sandpiper is by no 

 means uncommon during the breeding-season in Lulea and Tornea Lapmark, 

 frequenting grassy morasses and swamps in small colonies, generally in the same 

 places as those frequented by the Totanus (jlareola, our Wood Sandpiper. It 

 breeds also at Fokstuen on the Uovre Fjeld mountains, about three thousand feet 

 above the level of the sea, in Norway, where it arrives at the latter end of May. 

 Ou its first appearance it is wild and shy, and similar in its habits to the other 

 species of the genus, feeding on the grassy borders of the small pools and lakes 

 in the morasses. On being disturbed it soars to a great height in the air, rising 

 and falling suddenly like the Snipe, uttering the notes tioo woo, which are rapidly 

 repeated. As the weather becomes warm its habits totally change, skulking and 

 creeping through the dead grass, and allowing itself to be followed within a few 

 yards, and when flushed dropping again a short distance off. It seems to lay its 

 eggs later than others of this tribe generally. I found the eggs not sat upon on 

 the 24th of June, and the last week in July the young were unable to fly ; a 

 period when all the other Sandpipers are on the move south. The eggs were of 

 a deep chocolate colour, and its nest, like that of the Snipe, was on a hummocky 

 tuft of grass. Although I found the young only half fledged the last week in 

 July, and hunted the morasses very carefully, I never flushed or saw a single old 

 bird, yet undoubtedly they must have been there, so difficult is it at that period 

 to get them on the wing, and so entirely diff'erent from their habits in the spring. 

 They are undoubtedly numerous, but from their very small size and hiding habits 

 are difficult to be discovered, added to the almost impassable nature of the 

 swamps they frequent. There were several small colonies of them in different 

 parts of the extensive swamp at Fokstuen ; I procured five specimens there, and 

 might have obtained as many more, had I desired it ; I also procured one nest 

 with four eggs in it." 



The following notes, by the late John Wolley, were published in Hewitson's 

 ' Eggs of British Birds ' f : — " The Broad-billed Sandpiper differs from other 

 wading birds in the situation of its nest, choosing open soft places in the marsh, 

 where there is little else than bog moss with a light growth of a kind of sedge, 

 and on a low tuft just rising above the water its nest may be found without 

 much difficulty 



" But it must not be supposed that this kind of bird-nesting is very easy 



* 4th Edition, vol. iii. pp. 365, 366. 

 t 3id Edition, vol. ii. pp. 360, 361. 



