WHIMBEEL. o 



unnoticed as soon as you are anywhere near them, and run some distance before 

 taking wing. The very broken nature of the ground, combined with the large 

 number of other Whimbrels about, prevented our seeing them leave the nest, 

 except on two occasions, on both of which we came upon them suddenly round 

 a corner ; from one nest C. saw the bird steal a few yards off, and S. walked on to 

 a sitting bird, who flew off"."' 



Referring to this species, Mr. H. E. Dresser writes * :— " In Norway, as we 

 are informed by our friend Mr. Robert Collett, ' it is chiefly found during the 

 breeding-season north of the Trondhjems fiord, where it is numerous in the coast- 

 region of Nordland and Finmark, in the latter localities commoner than Numenius 

 arquatus. In Southern Norway, wliere this latter species is so numerous, the 

 Whimbrel is rare during the summer, and found only here and there, though 

 breeding in the fells at an altitude of from 3000 to 4000 feet above the level of 

 the sea, as on the Jotunfleld and in Thelemarken ; but it is only found there in 

 scattered pairs. The nest is simply a depression in the soil on the top of some 

 slight elevation in any comparatively dry spot in the marshes, and is usually lined 

 with a few grass-bents or leaves of Buhus ckamcemorus. The old birds are very 

 shy, and can rarely be approached within gunshot, though fond of their young.' 

 On the Tromso island Mr. Collett found incubated eggs on the 17th of June." 



Mr. Dresser further states that he possesses a series of Whimbrels' eggs, all 

 obtained on the Fseroe Islands, the measurements of which vary from 2-57 by 

 1-62 inch to 2-25 by 1-57 inch; also that 27 eggs of this species measured by 

 Dr. E. Rey averaged 2-29 by 1-6 inch, the largest measuring 2-44 by 1-69 inch, 

 and the smallest 2-14 by 1-55 inch. Mr. Dresser further says that a series 

 obtained by the late Mr. Benzon from the Fseroes and Iceland measured from 

 2-56 by l-(39 inch to 2-12 by 1-61 inch. 



Mr. H. Seebohm states that the eggs of this species " vary in length from 

 2-5 to 2-2 inch, and in breadth from Iwo to I'G inch."f 



* ' History of the Birds of Europe,' vol. viii. p. 2.34. 

 t ' History of British Birds,' vol. iii. p. 102. 



V 



