76 SCOLOPACIDJ:. 



Mr. Wolley, who, writing of this species, says, " I have 

 found it breeding in several localities north of the Bothnian 

 Gulf, but it is scarce, and, as far as I have seen, confined 

 to a very few spots. Grassy banks and pastures by the 

 waterside are the kinds of places where it takes up its 

 breeding quarters, and it seems to delight in being near 

 houses. Nothing can be more interesting or pretty than 

 this little bird in the early part of summer ; it is so tame 

 that one could often catch it in a net at the end of a stick. 

 At one time it is hovering with its wings raised over its 

 back, or floating about, and it reminds one rather of some 

 insect than any other bird; at another time, it may be 

 standing on the top of a stone or stake, or the gable end 

 of a cottage, and whether hovering or standing on its 

 perch, it utters a constant trilling note, of which I can 

 best give an idea, by saying that it brought to my recol- 

 lection the Grasshopper Warbler, though the resemblance 

 is perhaps slight. 



" When its eggs are very near, it sometimes runs about 

 one's feet, and though it cannot but be anxious, it seems 

 as busy as ever, picking gnats and other insects off the 

 grass. One nest which I found was a short stone's-throw 

 from a cottage where children were playing about in all 

 directions ; another was only a pace or two from a spring 

 from which women drew water every day, and passers-by 

 often stopped to drink. The nest is very simple ; a few 

 short bits of hay in a little saucer-shaped hollow, placed 

 amongst thin grass or sedge, generally not far from the 

 water's edge, but sometimes in the middle of a meadow. 

 The eggs in 1854 were laid about Midsummer day." 



The more recent occurrences of this species in Britain 

 are, one shot near Tralee, one near Brighton, and one 

 on Morazion Marsh in 1853; and one at Wisbeach in 

 1854. 



