BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 239 



wet, swampy place. The bird used to breed at 

 several places in England, but the reclamation of 

 land, the rquirements of gourmands, and, later, the 

 greed of the collector, have almost banished it 

 as a breeding species. It is now only known 

 to attempt to breed in Norfolk and Lincolnshire, 

 and it is doubtful whether the bird will long essay 

 the almost hopeless task. 



Materials. A few bits of dead grass or leaves, 

 line the hollow in which the eggs are laid. 



Eggs. Four, varying from pale greyish-green to 

 olive-green or olive-brown in ground-colour, blotched 

 and speckled with greyish and rich liver-coloured 

 brown, generally most numerous on the larger end 

 of the egg. Size about 1'7 by 1*22 in. Somewhat 

 similar to those of the Eedshank, though greyer 

 and not quite so yellow in ground colour. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in April and May 

 and departing about September. Notes, hack, JcicJc. 

 Local and other names: Eeeve (female), Fighting 

 Buff, Shore Sandpiper, Greenwich Sandpiper, Yellow- 

 legged Sandpiper, Equestrian Sandpiper. Sits closely. 



SANDPIPER, COMMON. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length seven and 

 a half inches. Bill rather long, straight, slender, 

 dark brown towards the tip and lightish brown at 

 the base. Irides dusky brown ; from the base of 

 the beak a light streak runs over the eye and ear- 

 coverts. Crown, back of the neck, back, wing- 

 coverts, and upper tail-coverts greenish-brown, with 

 a line of a darker hue across and down the centre 

 of each feather. Wing - primaries nearly black, 



