154 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 



shot, and is a very perfect specimen. It is now in 

 the collection of Mr. G. Dawson of Belle Vue, 

 Carlisle, where it may be seen. 



Genus TKINGOIDES. 



T. Hypoleucus. Common Sandpiper. 



The Common Sandpiper is a summer visitant, 

 arriving in small parties in the middle of April, and 

 proceeding to elevated breeding gromids during the 

 latter portion of the month. 



Many pairs of Common Sandpipers breed on the 

 banks of our lakes and rivers, but the nest is difficult 

 to find, being frequently placed on the bare shingle 

 (which closely assimilates to the colour of the eggs) 

 or sand, under the shelter of the broad leaves of the 

 butter bur. When the young are hatched, the old 

 birds exhibit the greatest solicitude for their welfare, 

 and on the banks of our w^ooded rivers may be 

 observed to perch on trees, in order to secure a 

 fuller view of the intruder. Thus, in 1883, " On 

 June 25th, Mr. Duckworth and I found young 

 Sandpipers on the Eden. One of the old birds 

 crossed the river and perched on a dead branch of 

 an ash, from fifteen to twenty feet above the bank ; 

 there it contentedly remained for twenty minutes, 

 when we left it perching as calmly as any Finch 

 could do." (Zool., 1883, p. 128). The fact came 

 under our notice again in 1884, witness the 

 following extract from one of Macpherson's note- 

 books :— " June 13th. To Cotehill, with J. R. Earle, 

 Having failed to find any Crossbills, we sought 

 the Eden, and crossing a gravel bed disturbed a 



