Tlie terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. 



141 



weather was fine and especially in the evening. Uttering a snarling 

 or slight neighing sound he mounts to a height of some two meters 

 from the surface of the ground on strongly vibrating wings, to con- 

 tinue at this height his flight for a short distance, most frequently 

 in a straight line but sometimes in small circles. 



When excited he frequently sits on the top of a solitary large 

 stone, his dorsal feathers blown out, his tail spread and his wings 

 half let down, producing his curious subdued pairing tones. He, 

 however, soon returns to the female, which always keeps mute, and 



Fig. Г). Typical Sanderling haunt. July 1908. 



then he tries by slow aifected, almost creeping movements to induce 

 her to pairing, until at last the act of pairing takes place; when 

 effected both birds rush away in rapid flight to return soon after 

 to the nesting place. I have also observed males in pairing flight 

 without being able to discover any female in the neighbourhood and 

 then of course without realizing the pairing as completing act. 



The male is in the pairing time very quarrelsome and does not 

 permit any strange bird to intrude oii the selected domain. He 

 seems to be most envious against birds of his own kin. 



While the Sanderling in the pairing time rather often and in- 

 voluntarily evinces its presense, it is on account of its peculiar 

 silent habits afterwards very difficult to observe. 



