PLOVERS AND SANDPIPERS. 115 



trill, which has been likened by some observers to 

 the continuous ringing of a small bell. 



It is a rather remarkable fact that the Dunlin 

 is the only species of Tringa that nests in the 

 British Islands. It breeds sparingly and locally 

 in Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset, perhaps in 

 Wales, and thence northwards, more generally, over 

 the remainder of England, and in Scotland up to 

 the Shetlands. Dunlins begin to move from the 

 coasts in March and April, and to resort to their 

 breeding places, which are situated on the marshy 

 moorlands and mountain swamps, often at no great 

 distance from the sea, or at least from tidal waters. 

 The nest is a mere depression, often in a tussock of 

 grass or rushes, or beneath a small bush, or even 

 in a patch of thrift on bare sandy soil, lined with 

 a few scraps of withered vegetation, or enclosed with 

 a few twigs or roots. The four pyriform eggs are 

 pale olive or pale brown, blotched and spotted with 

 reddish- and blackish-brown and gray. We remark 

 the same extraordinary difference between summer 

 and winter plumage, as we have already observed 

 in the Knot and some others. In summer or 

 breeding plumage, the Dunlin is rich reddish-brown 

 above, striped with dark brown ; lower breast or 

 gorget, deep black ; remainder of under parts white. 

 In winter the upper parts are chiefly ash-gray, and 

 the under parts white, except the gorget, which is 

 now grayish -brown. Outside the British Islands 

 the Dunlin has a very wide distribution, breeding 



