156 GRALLATORES TRINGA. DUNLIN. 



Nest, &c. the bogs of the upland country. The nest, merely a depres- 

 sion in the ground, lined with a few straws or dried stems of 

 grass, and, in appearance, similar to that of the Snipe or Ring 

 Dotterel. The eggs, as in the rest of the family, are four in 

 number, of an oil or greenish-grey colour, marked all over 

 with variously sized spots of hair-brown, and are rather less 

 than those of the Common Sandpiper (Totanus hypoleucos). 

 Food. This species feeds on worms, insects, molluscae, and the 

 smaller crustaceae, which it usually obtains by probing the 

 sand in following the ebb of the tides. It runs with great 

 celerity, and has a sprightly carriage and delicate form* 

 When in action, it is in the constant habit of moving the 

 tail up and down. Its cry, on wing, is a weak scream, but 

 when at rest on the ground, or feeding, a softer and more 

 pleasing note is used. Its flesh, during the autumn, is 

 tender and well flavoured, but in winter it becomes darker 

 in colour and fishy, and is always indeed inferior to that of 

 the Knot. 



General Fig. 1. Represents this bird in the perfect winter plumage, 

 tkm^" Crown of the head, hind part of the neck, back and sea- 

 Winter pulars ash-grey, with a tinge of hair-brown ; the shaft 

 of each feather being darker. Between the bill and 

 eyes is an indistinct line of brown. Eye-streak and 

 cheeks white, streaked with pale hair-brown. Chin and 

 throat white. Lower part of neck and breast grey, 

 the shafts of the feathers being hair-brown. Belly, ab- 

 domen, vent, and under tail-coverts pure white. Wing- 

 coverts hair-brown, margined with pale ash-grey, the 

 larger ones having white tips. Rump and upper- 

 tail-covers deep hair-brown, margined paler. Tail ap- 

 proaching to the doubly-forked shape^ the two middle 

 feathers being the longest, and of a deep hair- brown 

 colour, the rest, on each side, grey, with white shafts. 

 Bill black, very slightly inclined at the tip. Legs and 

 toes blackish-grey. 



