COMMON SANDPIPEE. 5 



under the shelter of some tuft on a shelving bank, among a bed of osiers, or 

 such-like situation. Their nests being right in the fisherman's track, are often 

 discovered by the old bird fluttering out across the shingle, with well-feigned 

 lameness. The young, pretty little grey things, spotted with black, are hatched 

 early in June, and most of them have left the moors before the end of July. Yet 

 as late as June 10th we have found nests of newly-laid eggs ; these late sittings, 

 as also noticed in the case of the Golden Plover *, being often remarkably hand- 

 some and strongly-marked specimens." 



The late Mr. H. Seebohm says the Common Sandpiper only rears one brood 

 in the year ; but if the first eggs are taken, others are generally laid near the site 

 of the former nest. He gives the measurements of the eggs as varying from 1*6 

 to 1"4 inch in length, by 1'13 to I'O inch in breadth. f 



Mr. H. E. Dresser gives the measurements of a large series of eggs of this 

 species in his collection as ranging from 1-37 by 1"0 inch, to 1'47 by 1-02 inch, 

 and 1-4 by 1-07 inch.J 



* [See the late Dr. Saxby's remai-ks on late sittings of the Golden Plover, quoted in the present 

 work. — 1\ P.] 



t 'History of British Birds,' vol. iii. p. 120. 



J ' History of the Birds of Europe,' vol. viii. p. 133. 



