80 BRITISH BIRDS, THEIR EGGS AND NESTS. 



in small parties, or one or two together, from September all 

 through the winter. In the spring it leaves us to go to the 

 north for breeding objects, but has never been recognised as 

 nesting within the limits of the British Islands. We cannot 

 therefore notice its nest and eggs in this place. 



171. SANDERLING (Calidris arenaria). 

 Common Sanderling, Sanderling Plover. Like the bird last 

 named, a by no means unusual visitant to most parts of oitr 

 coasts, and sometimes met with also at the edge of large pieces 

 of fresh water, but never known hitherto to have bred with us. 

 It is found associating most commonly, though in small parties 

 for the most part, with the Dunlin, and other similar shore- 

 haunting birds. 



172. OYSTER-CATCHER (Hsematopm ostralegus}. 

 Pied Oyster-catcher, Shelder, Sea-Pie, Olive. A very beautiful 

 and well-known dweller on our sea-coasts, and wonderfully pro- 

 vided by nature, too, with a suitable instrument for purveying its 

 destined food. The bill of the Oyster-catcher is one of those 

 natural objects which form each a study in themselves. Woe be 

 to the oyster or mussel, however powerful its mechanism for 

 closing its valves, if once the Oyster-catcher has found means to 

 insert that natural weapon of his. Flattened sideways, and hard 

 and strong as so much bone, its efficacy is so ^reat that there can 

 be scarcely a struggle for life on the part of the shell-fish. It 

 runs well, and is even said to dive and swim with facility. I 

 never saw this, though I have had them under mv observation for 

 hours together in former days. But I know their shrill, rattling 

 whistle, and their short uneasy nights, and restless paddlings up 

 and down upon the ooze, when I have been among their haunts, 

 well and many a nest it used to be my lot to discover on some 

 parts of some of the Essex Saltings. The eggs, usually three or 

 four in number, are laid on the bare ground, sometimes in slight 

 holes amid the Salting herbage above high-water mark; or 

 where there is shingle, in some cavity among its higher and 

 coarser layers. They are cream-coloured, of varying shades of 

 warmth, and blotched and spotted, or spotted and strongly 

 streaked with very dark brown and some few touches of a lighter 

 hue. Fig. 6, plate VII. 



ii. 



173. CRANE (Grus cinerea). 



A couple of centuries since it is not improbable the Crane may 

 have at least, occasionally bred in this country ; but now it 18 

 become a very rare and casual visitor. 



