WOOD-SANDPIPEE. 3 



scattered, and in rare instances very few and far between. The underlying spots 

 are pale brown, and seldom very conspicuous. They vary in length from 1*55 to 

 1-4 inch, and in breadth from I'l to 1"0 inch. The only eggs at all likely to be 

 confused with those of this species are exceptionally small and handsome eggs of 

 the Green Sandpiper, which might be difficult to distinguish from exceptionally 

 large and plain eggs of the Wood-Sandpiper." 



Mr. H. E. Dresser states that a series of nearly three dozen eggs of this 

 species in his collection from Holland, Denmark, and North Germany, measure 

 from 1-52 by 1-1 inch, and 1'42 by I'O inch, to 1-4 by 1-0 inch.* 



The late Mr. John Hancock discovered the Wood-Sandpiper breeding on 

 Prestwick Car, Northumberland, in 1853, and obtained the eggs f, the only 

 authentic ones known to have been found in the British Islands, together with 

 one of the parent birds. The following graphic narrative from his pen gives full 

 details of his discovery J : — " The following account of an excursion to Prestwick 

 Car will give you some idea of what could be done in bird nesting in that locality 

 in a single day : it was however an extraordinary day, and was a very short one. 

 I started, accompanied by the eldest son of the late Mr. Charles St. John, on the 

 morning of the 3rd of June, 1853, rather for the purpose of showing my youthful 

 friend the Car, than in any expectation of obtaining eggs, as the season was far 

 advanced. We arrived at Berwick Hill, on the north margin of the Car, about 

 eleven o'clock, after a pleasant eight miles walk. After receiving the hospitality 

 of the late Mr. Richard E-eay we commenced our ramble over the Car. That 

 gentleman informed us that we should see no eggs, as several persons had recently 

 been over the ground. This, however, did not matter much, as we had not come 

 for the purpose of collecting eggs, but merely to look about us. 



" It was one o'clock before we reached the heather ; and here the Redshanks 

 were flying in greater numbers than I had ever seen on any former occasion. 

 Several paii's kept flying around above our heads uttering their wild, plaintive cry, 

 or triple-noted whistle. From this it was evident that either their young or their 

 eggs were not far off. And sure enough we had not proceeded many steps before 

 we came upon a nest with four eggs : they were much incubated, and, being quite 

 cold, were undoubtedly forsaken. We were now joined by Mr. Peay's brother 

 (Joseph) who, just before he reached us, had picked up a young Redshank, 



* ' History of the Birds of Europe,' vol. viii. p. 149. 



t One of these eggs is figured in Hewitson's ' Eggs of British Birds," 3rd edition, vol. ii. pi. xc. 

 fig.l. 



t ' A Catalogue of the Birds of Northumberland and Durham,' pp. xiv-xvii (Natural History 

 Transactions of Northumberland and Durham, vol. vi.). 



