WOOD SANDPIPER. 651 



If you approach the spot when they have young, and 

 especially if a dog is with you, the old birds will fly round 

 in the most anxious manner, and will hover over the dog 

 within a few feet ; then suddenly darting off, mount high 

 in the air, pouncing down again with great rapidity on 

 the intruder. "If you have observed the actions and man- 

 oeuvres of the Redshank, during the breeding season, you 

 will have seen very much the habits of the Wood Sand- 

 piper. 



It is far from being numerous in the localities where I 

 met with it ; yet many pairs are dispersed over these dis- 

 tricts, where they have long been known to breed, from 

 information which I obtained from several intelligent 

 sportsmen, to whom the bird was well known. 



Although I met with the young in a downy state, and 

 partially feathered, I only obtained one nest with eggs. 

 The nest is generally placed at a short distance from the 

 water, among stunted heath, or scrubby plants of the bog 

 myrtle, or among coarse grass and rushes. It is placed in 

 a hollow, and is formed of dry grass and other plants. 

 The eggs are four in number. An egg is figured by Mr. 

 Hewitson in his work. One egg of the Wood Sandpiper 

 in my own collection measures one inch seven lines in 

 length, by one inch and half a line in breadth ; pointed 

 in shape, of a pale greenish white, spotted and speckled 

 particularly over the broad end with dark reddish brown. 

 This rare egg was given me by Richard Dann, Esq., who 

 obtained two or three in Norway, with the eggs of some 

 other very rare birds to be hereafter referred to. 



M. Nilsson says the Wood Sandpiper is found occasion- 

 ally in Sweden, inhabiting swampy woods during summer ; 

 and there is no doubt that this bird breeds every season as 

 far north as the Arctic Circle, both in Norway and Lap- 

 land. The food consists of worms and insects ; and Mr, 



