302 BRITISH BIRDS 



they reach us. Now they are here ; with ;i humming roar they 

 pass below us up the creek ; shoot up, showing black and white as 

 they turn ; dive down into the creek again; pass us, and lake ;i 

 sweep over the snow, where they are invisible, for their white under 

 plumage, caused by the turn, is in the light. Another turn, and the 

 dark cloud is passing over the snow and into the creek. One turn 

 more, and we see the cloud of dunlins drop below us on the slub a 

 vast host of living silver dots moving rapidly over the dark brown 

 mud and grey ooze. As they throw their wings up, as they flirt 

 up from one spot to another, all busy chattering, and dibbling, now 

 here, now there for we can see all their actions, so close are they 

 to us I thought that it was one of the most interesting sights I 

 had been privileged to witness.' 



At the end of April the great body of dunlins forsake our coasts, 

 going north to breed ; those that remain to breed in the British 

 Islands withdraw to the loneliest moors and fells, the summer 

 haunts of the curlew and golden plover. On this account the dun- 

 lins are called ' plovers' pages ' in some districts. 



The language of the dunlin differs from that of most of the sand- 

 pipers, being hoarse and somewhat grating ; but in spring, on the 

 moors, the male has an agreeable trilling love-call, uttered in the 

 air, or as the bird descends to earth with set, motionless wings and 

 expanded tail. 



A slight nest is made on the ground among the heather, and 

 four eggs are laid, greenish white, spotted and blotched with reddish 

 brown. 



The great difference in the summer and winter plumage of the 

 dunlin caused it to be regarded formerly, by most persons, as two 

 distinct species : in the chestnut-and-black plumage it was the dun- 

 lin ; in white-and-grey, the purre. Other local names for this 

 species are stint, ox-bird, and sea-snipe. 



Little Stint. 

 Tringa minuta. 



Upper parts variegated with rufous and black ; throat and upper 

 breast tinged with rufous and speckled with dark brown : under 

 parts white ; bill and feet black. Length, six inches. In winter 

 the upper parts are ashy brown, and there is no rufous on the 

 throat. 



