360 THE DUNLIN. 



was seen on a rocky shore in Anglesey, running over a 

 sandy patch a few yards off, accompanied by two young 

 ones. On finding herself surprised, she immediately 

 rose with one of the young ones, either caught up, or 

 clinging to her by its own instinctive efforts. Whether 

 from a wish to remain as near as possible while the other 

 was in danger, or from the additional weight, could not 

 be ascertained ; but her flight was short, and she alighted 

 on a rock at no great distance. The remaining little 

 one was with difficulty overtaken, as it ran with great 

 activity and swiftness, although very young, being co- 

 vered with down, and evidently not long hatched. Most 

 of the little birds of this tribe make no regular nests, 

 but deposit their eggs, four in num- 

 ber, either on the bare sand, just 

 beyond the high- water mark, or like 

 the Dunlin, or Sea-Snipe, on the 

 ground, among long grass and hea- 

 ther ; exposed, as the eggs then are, 

 both to weather and observation, the 

 bird contrives to place them so as to 

 of Dunlin. take up the smalles t possible space ; 

 and this she effects by making them all meet at their 

 smaller ends, which also taper more than most other 

 eggs. 



The four little eggs, for they are much smaller than a 

 Snipe's, huddled in so narrow a compass, require a keen 

 and accustomed eye to see them, and at the same time 

 are easily covered by the parent-bird. Her affection for 

 her young is not confined to them when unable to take 

 care of themselves after hatching, but is manifested 

 when they are still in the egg ; for, should a stranger 

 disturb her, she will, instead of running or flying away 

 in her usual manner, immediately affect lameness, or 

 decoy him away from the nest by tumbling over and 

 over, as if in the last stage of weakness or decrepitude ; 

 or, if actually found upon her nest, she will sometimes 

 nobly persevere in sacrificing herself, rather than desert 



