May 



although, being in a little archipelago of mud 

 patches in open water, such a course offered the 

 readiest mode of escape, in view of the reputed 

 diving and swimming powers of this bird. Able, 

 they may have been ; willing, they certainly were 

 not. 



With the sandpipers a single dunlin came in on 

 the ist May. Not unlike a sandpiper in general 

 appearance, it associated with them during its stay, 

 but might be easily distinguished from them by the 

 presence of a heavy black patch on its lower breast. 

 Evidently it felt little desire to remain ; for, on the 

 following day toward noon, a sudden inspiration 

 seemed to seize it, and it got up, and dashing 

 round in wild flight over the water, repeating an 

 excited " Pr-r-r-r-r-r-ec ! " shot up into the air at 

 an enormous pace, and was quickly lost in skyey 

 flight. 



On the morning of the 8th May I found the 

 whitethroat back in the hedgerows, prospecting 

 among the nettles and hedge-parsnips, which were 

 well up for his reception. 



There is small chance of overlooking the white- 

 throat, even for a day. 



" Gr-r-r-r ! " he says, by way of greeting, and 

 gets out at the back of the hedge as you pass, flashes 

 white as he comes over the top of it to the front a 

 little farther on, and settles there for a moment to 

 pour out a torrent of the wildest gibberish to which 

 bird ever gave utterance. Any one unacquainted 



H3 



