LETTER 
EVIDENCE FOR THE BREEDING OF THE GREEN 
SANDPIPER. 

To the Editors of British Birps. 
Sigs,—Concerning my article on the Breeding of the Green Sandpiper 
in Westmorland, in your October issue (aniea, p. 103), you state 
in an editorial that : “Had one ot the young birds been taken, 
and its skin preserved in some public museum, lasting and incon- 
trovertible proof would have been afforded, and it seems to us a great 
pity that the opportunity of obtaiming such proof was missed.” 
When I recorded the first nesting of the Hider Duck in Ireland in 
your issue ot September, 1912 (Vol. VI, p. 106), where the eggs were 
taken in ignorance by my friend, who did not know the species was 
so rare in that country, your editorial was as follows: “ This 
is a most interesting extension of the known breeding range of the 
Eider, and we think it was a great pity that the eggs were taken. 
Caretul diagnosis of the bird, and a piece of the down from the nest, 
would have been amply sufficient tor identification. Any action 
which tends to check a natural extension of breeding-range, or which 
is liable to endanger the successful rearing of its young by a rare 
breeding bird, is to be greatly deplored.” 
With this editorial 1 thoroughly agree, as 1 also regretted that 
the eggs were taken by my friend, although he did it in ignorance. 
Had 1 destroyed one of these Green Sandpipers in cold blood, simply 
to convince sceptical fellow ornithologists, 1 should never have been 
forgiven. 
Surely, sirs, when the young, quite unable to fly, are seen with 
their parents, it is proof enough of their having been hatched there, 
without having to slaughter one or all of them to prove it! 
H. W. Rosinson. 
[In our view there is no inconsistency in the remarks quoted by Mr. 
Robinson. In the case of the breeding of the Hider, identification 
could have been made certain by taking a sample of down or by the 
removal of a single egg, while by taking the whole clutch a serious 
risk was run of making the birds desert their breeding-place. In 
the case of the Green Sandpiper, no competent ornithologist saw 
the old birds and young together, and probably not one of those who 
saw the young birds was capable of distinguishing a young Common 
Sandpiper from a young Green Sandpiper. The taking of a single 
young bird would have afforded absolute proof without causing any 
risk of the desertion of the breeding-place or the loss of the whole 
brood. Mr. Robinson has certaily avoided the risk of remaining 
unforgiven from a purely sentimental point of view, but not altogether 
from a scientific one.—EDs.] 



