FOR CAGES AND AVIARIES. 179 



and thick-set clumsy shape. It is frequently seen in 

 company with the Dunlin, is very active, flying and running 

 with a very graceful action. It sometimes breeds in the 

 north of Scotland, but as a rule retires within the Arctic 

 Circle for that purpose. It is about 8 inches in length 

 and may weigh a couple of ounces or a little more. It 

 moults twice in autumn and spring and the summer 

 plumage is darker than that it wears during the winter; 

 in the latter season it is greyish white. 



THE SANDPIPERS. 



The Common Sandpiper. 



A pretty little creature with a rather long greenish bill, 

 and legs and feet of the same colour; it is often called 

 the Summer Snipe and comes to us from the north in 

 April, returning in September. 



The plumage is very soft, almost silky in texture, of a 

 greenish grey above and white on the under surface of 

 the body slightly tinged with green and grey. It is 

 about the size of a Snipe and lays four eggs of a creamy 

 white speckled with brown and very large for the size- 

 of the bird. 



The food is the same as that of the other members of 

 the family in captivity, like which it is by no means difficult 

 to preserve in a suitably appointed place, if fed as nearly 

 as possible on its natural diet. The young at first are 

 thickly coated with grey yellowish down, they have a 

 black mark on the head, and another along the centre 

 of the back. 



The Dunlin, or Purre. 



This bird has a very "snipish" appearance, and not 

 unfrequently does duty for a Snipe on the table; it 

 is, however, one of the Sandpipers, and is very abundant 

 throughout the British isles. It is essentially a sea-side 

 bird, and is very seldom found at any distance inland : 

 when so seen it has been driven in by stress of weather. 



