COMMON SANDPIPER. 655 



is found in Devonshire, Dorsetshire, Hampshire, Kent, 

 Essex, and the north-eastern counties to Durham and 

 Northumberland. Dr. Fleming mentions it as a constant 

 summer visitor to the most northern parts of the mainland 

 of Scotland ; but according to Mr. Low, Dunn, and others, 

 it is not found in Orkney and Shetland. Mr. Selby says, 

 " it is very abundant upon the shores of the Scottish fresh- 

 water lakes ; and upon Loch Awe in July, when the young 

 broods begin to fly, I have at one view seen three or four 

 families on the wing, crossing over or skimming along the 

 edges of the lake." Mr. Selby also observed this species 

 very abundant upon the margins of all the numerous lochs 

 and rivers in Sutherlandshire. 



The habits of this Sandpiper are interesting, its actions 

 are lively, and it is mostly seen while running nimbly along 

 the gravelly margins of rivers, brooks, lakes, or ponds. 

 VvThen on the ground it is in constant motion, flirting the 

 tail up and down, and almost as frequently stretching out, 

 and again withdrawing, the head and neck. When dis- 

 turbed and flushed, this bird utters a piping note on taking 

 wing, which has been compared by Colonel Sykes to the 

 sounds, wheet, wheet, wlieet ; and Mr. Selby says, that 

 from the resemblance to its well-known note one of the 

 provincial names of this species is "Willy Wicket. 



The food of this Sandpiper is worms and insects. It is 

 seldom seen on the sea-shore. It makes a slight nest of 

 moss and dry leaves in a hole on a bank near fresh water, 

 generally under shelter of a bunch of rushes or a tuft of 

 grass, and sometimes in a corn-field, if it happens to extend 

 near enough towards the water. The eggs are four, reddish 

 white in colour, spotted and speckled with umber brown ; 

 one inch four lines in length, by one inch in breadth. " If 

 disturbed during the period of incubation," Mr. Selby ob- 

 serves, " the female quits the nest as quietly as possible, and 



