656 scoLOPAcnm 



usually flies to a distance, making at this time no outcry ; 

 as soon, however, as the young are hatched, her manners 

 completely alter, and the greatest agitation is expressed on 

 the apprehension of danger, and every stratagem is tried, 

 such as feigning lameness, and inability of flight, to divert 

 the attention of the intruder from the unfledged brood." 

 A writer in the vicinity of Clitheroe, in Lancashire, says,* 

 " The Common Sandpiper breeds with us ; and I this year 

 started an old one from her nest, at the root of a fir tree. 

 She screamed out, and rolled about in such a manner, and 

 seemed so completely disabled, that, although perfectly 

 aware that her intention was to allure me from her nest, I 

 could not resist my inclination to pursue her, and, in con- 

 sequence, I had great difficulty in finding the nest again. 

 It was built of a few dried leaves of the Weymouth pine, 

 and contained three young ones, just hatched, and an egg, 

 through the shell of which the bill of the young chick 

 was just making its way ; yet, young as they were, on my 

 taking out the egg to examine it, the little things, which 

 could not have been out of their shells more than an hour 

 or two, set off out of the nest with as much celerity as 

 if they had been running about for a fortnight. As I 

 thought the old one would abandon the egg if the young 

 ones left the nest, I caught them again, and covering them 

 up with my hand for some time, they settled down again. 

 Next day all four had disappeared." The adult Sand- 

 piper can swim and dive well, however inapplicable to 

 such a purpose the feet of this little bird may appear to 

 be ; and Mr. Selby mentions, that the young, too, when 

 three weeks or a month old, just before they are able to 

 fly, if discovered and attempted to be caught, boldly take 

 to the water, diving repeatedly, and to a considerable 

 distance ; a provision wisely granted, as being so well 

 * Magazine of Natural History, vol. vi. p. 148. 



