THE DUNLIN. 



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await the arrival of the high tide which will soon bring the last vestige of mud-flat under water. They 

 have arrived in the nick of time, for at first singly, and then in small flocks, the Waders make for the 

 sea-shore, in nearly every case crossing the sandy spit on their way, allured in many instances by the 

 subtle imitation of their cries which the fisherman knows how to emit, and thus they leave a con- 

 siderable number of their comrades in the hands of the gunners. With a musical modulated note of 

 three syllables a little bird comes skimming along far out over the water, and appearing all white as 

 he approaches. . .He scents danger, however, before he comes too close, and flies away without receiving 

 a shot. This is "the Ringed Plover (sEgialitis hiaticula), and so wideawake a bird that there is small 



RUFFS F1GHTIXG. 





chance of getting near a flock of Sandpipers if one of these little Plovers is acting sentinel. Perched on 

 the highest ridge of the shore, he runs provokingly along, keeping a safe distance ahead, and whistling 

 continually, till at last he takes wing, and the sportsman is just in time to see the hurried dight 

 of the flock of Dunlins and Sandpipers, over whom the bird has been keeping guard, far out at 

 sea, with the sentinel Plover in advance guiding them to a safer spot farther down the beach. 

 The Dunlin (Tringa alpina) is not often found on the rivers inland, but is an extremely 

 common shore-bird, being generally met with in large flocks, sometimes as many as two or three 

 hundred in number. They are usually very tame, and are easily attracted by whistling, so that 

 a flock, though fired into two or three times, will yet wheel round again and again on hearing 

 the deceptive whistling of the gunner. They go to the north, as a rule, to breed, but during 

 the nesting season flocks may be found on the southern shore of England, which, although in 

 full summer plumage, evidently do not breed, but remain in flocks throughout the whole season. 

 1 he summer dress of the Dunlin is easily recognisable by the large black horseshoe mark on the 

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