ioo BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



been recorded. April and May are the principal 

 months, however. 



Remarks.- Resident, and partially migratory, 

 larger numbers visiting us in winter than stay to 

 breed in summer. Notes : quack, loud and high 

 sounding when uttered by the female, and harsh 

 and low when by the male. Local and other 

 names : Mallard (a name, strictly speaking, apply- 

 ing to the male only), Stock Duck, Common Wild 

 Duck. Sits closely, and covers over her eggs when 

 voluntarily leaving her nest. 



DUNLIN. 



(Tringa alpina^ 

 Order LIMICOL*: ; Family SCOLOPACIM (SNIPES). 



Description of Parent Birds. 

 Length about eight inches. Beak 

 rather long, nearly straight, and 

 black. I rides brown. Crown 

 and upper parts reddish-brown, 

 streaked on the head and back 

 of neck with dusky-black, and 

 each feather on the back black 

 in the centre. Wing - coverts 

 greyish-brown edged with light 

 DUNLIN ON NEST. grey . quilk dusky-black, inclining 



to brown on some of the lesser, which are greyish- 

 white on the edges of the outer webs. Upper tail- 

 coverts white, quills ashy-brown edged with grey, 

 excepting the two centre feathers, which are longer 

 than the rest and dusky-brown. Chin white, 

 cheeks, throat, and sides of neck and breast whitish, 

 streaked with dusky-black ; belly and under-parts 



