The terrestrial mamimils and birds of Nortii-East Greenland. 1^7 



they could be: The snow had nielled early in the season, and con- 

 sequently innumerable fresh-water pools were at hand; the vegeta- 

 tion was more luxuriant than in any other spot in this country, 

 and the insect life was correspondingly rich. I also observed Dun- 

 lins on Koldewey Islands at Кар Marie Valdemar and at many other 

 places. 



On small islets this bird occurred only exceptionally but on the 

 other hand it occurred commonly enough far from the shore on 

 extensive table-lands with scattered bogs. 



The Dunlins arrived usually in couples at the same time as the 

 other waders. (With exception of the Grey Phalarope.) 



As the Dunlins almost exclusively feed upon animal food it was 

 extremely hard for them to make a living just after their arrival. 

 These birds would not go to the snowfree spots on stony plains as 

 Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Sanderlings used to do and they 

 would not go on the snow as did the Knots to pick up seeds of 

 plants sprouting through it. The life of the Dunlins was confined 

 to the open water and swampy soil, therefore they were permanent 

 visitors by the ice-free beaches of small sheets of fresh water and 

 pools of melting snow. 



The pairing took place in the first half of June. The eggs first 

 found date from June 14'i\ Downy young could be found every- 

 where at the nesting-places in mid July. 



I found a Dunlin's nest containing 4 strongly incubated eggs on 

 Snenæs August 4*'^ 1907, but this must be considered quite abnor- 

 mal, and young ones hatched so late will hardly be able to leave 

 the country in time. 



The same day I observed — also on Snenæs — two hatches 

 of fledglings. 



The nests are most frequently built on hillocks with long grass. 

 I found, however, not seldom nests of Dunlins on small islets cov- 

 ered with short grass, but always near to or surrounded by shallow 

 water. The Dunlin's nest is often placed on similar spots and has 

 the same exterior as that of the Phalarope, but it can easily be 

 distinguished as the bottom of the Dunlins nest is always lined 

 with a few withered leaves of Salix arctica, while the Pharalope 

 uses bent straws as layer for its eggs. 



On spots, where many Dunlins nest, several newly scratched 

 but half finished nests may always be found; they are probably left 

 because the birds have found the ground too wet. 



The Dunlins like to nest on moors and bogs partly irrigated 

 by melted snow streaming down from the rocks. On such places I 

 found many nests with eggs and new-born downy young Avhich 



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