4 SCOLOPACIDJi. 



lead them down to some grassy swamp in the forest, and 1 have met with three or 

 four families in the same spot. It is now that the wild cry of this bird is heard to 

 perfection if you enter the swamp with a dog ; and it is a pleasing sight to see 

 how little fear the old birds display in endeavoimng to beat the intruder from the 

 spot. No trying to allure him away by sham pretences, as the Lapwing and many 

 other birds do, but a downright courageous attack, which never ceases till the dog 

 is fairly beaten off. I have often seen the Greenshauk settle in a tree." 



Referring to this species the late Mr. H. Seebohm writes * : — " It is not at 

 all social in the breeding-season, and scatters itself in paii-s at long and irregular 

 distances. Its nest is cunningly concealed amongst the heath and short herbage, 

 and is very slight, being a mere depression in the ground, lined with a few bits 

 of dry grass or withered leaves. Sometimes the nest is placed quite close to the 

 water, in a similar position to that usually chosen by the Common Sandpiper, 

 but more generally it is in situations similar to those selected by the Golden 

 Plover or the Dunlin. Sometimes the nest is built in a tuft of grass, or on a little 



piece of higher ground surrounded with marsh The eggs vary in leugth 



from 2-05 to 1-82 inch, and in breadth from 1-4 to 1-3 inch; they are not easily 

 confused -with those of any other British species. Only one brood is reared in the 

 year." 



Mr. H. E. Dresser states that a series of 20 eggs of this species in his 

 collection (taken by himself in Northern Finland, by Meves at Archangel, and by 

 Wolley's collectors at Muonioniska and Tornea, Lapland) measure from 1-8 by 

 1-3 inch to 2-1 by 1-3 inch, and 2-0 by 1-35 inch.f 



* 'History of British Birds,' vol. iii. pp. 15], 152. 

 t ' History of the Birds of Europe,' vol. viii. p. 183. 



