ii 4 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



pretty along the salt-marshes and mud-flats than 

 a large flock of Dunlins, in the act of performing 

 those graceful aerial movements so characteristic 

 of this little bird during its winter sojourn upon the 

 coast. The whole flock, as with a single impulse, 

 will spread out like a net, close up again, 

 apparently vanish, appear black, or like a flash of 

 silver, just as the birds turn and expose their dark 

 or white plumage to the light. Sometimes the 

 flock will head straight away down the coast, 

 passing the observer with a rush and whirr of 

 wings, and a chorus of purring cries ; at other 

 times a large flock will rise en masse from the 

 muds, pass out to sea a little way, turn, and go 

 some distance along the shore, come back again, 

 repeating the movement time after time, ever and 

 anon appearing as though about to alight, dipping 

 and rising with marvellous regularity. No doubt 

 these movements will recall to the observer the 

 gyrations of the autumn flocks of Starlings, for 

 there is much in common between the two. 

 During its sojourn upon the coast the Dunlin 

 feeds upon crustaceans, sand-worms, molluscs, and 

 other small marine organisms ; but in summer 

 insects, grubs, worms, and ground-fruits are eaten. 

 The usual note of the Dunlin is harsh, and 

 resembles the word purr hence one of the bird's 

 trivial names ; during the breeding season it is a 

 long drawn peezh. In the pairing season, when the 

 male indulges in certain aerial gambols, he utters a 



