200 CORDEAUX : BIRD-NOTES FROM THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 



breadths of lavender and pale green, changeful as a sapphire, 

 and flecked with a thousand specks of broken foam, each 

 lustrous as seagull's wing. 



Turnstone {Stnpsilas interpres). May 13th. Exceedingly abun- 

 dant during the week in small parties on the sea and Humber side 

 of the Spurn. The mellow and varied cry of the Turnstone is 

 very difficult to render; sometimes it seems to resemble 

 ^prit-pretty-dick^ at others a clear 'cher-ick, clier-ick.'' It is 

 known as the 'Dotterel.' 



Sanderling {Calidris arenaria). Fairly numerous on the 13th and 

 following days ; generally two or three together. One which 

 I examined through the glass appeared in beautiful summer 

 plumage — chestnut and shades of brown ; others were very nmch 

 in the same dress we find them in during the autumn. 



Whimbrel {Numenius phceopiis). Exceedingly plentiful and very 

 tame, generally scattered and not in flocks. They are continually 

 boring the loose and wet sand and frequently seem to draw out 

 a short worm or slug which is quickly swallowed. 



Oyster-catcher {Hcei/iafopus osiralegus). Seen and heard. As the 

 tide flows, the Den, as it is called, on the Humber side (the site 

 of Ravenserodd) is the last to be covered and is crowded with 

 Whimbrel and Oyster-catchers, and very noisy they become 

 when the rising water drives them to seek some other retreat. 

 The ■i\\x\\\ pee-peep of the latter may be heard at a great distance 

 on this level coast. 



Redshank {Totanus calidris). May i6th. One, to-day, very noisy 

 and flitting to and fro above a marsh full of rough grass near 

 Kilnsea, probably had a nest not far off. 



Dotterel {Eudronias morineilus). May 15th. A shepherd (who well 

 knows the birds) informs me that he saw three trips this morning, 

 altogether about thirty birds, in their old quarters in this parish 

 (Great Cotes). In 1889 they were seen in the same locality on the 

 1 4th May. In the Spurn district the local name is ' Land-Dotterel.' 



Common Sandpiper {Tringdides hypoleucos). Fairly common on 

 and near the coast on the 13th and subsequently. 



Ringed Plover {.-Egialitis hiatiaild). I found a nest with four 

 eggs on the 13th and again on the 17th. The first nest was on 

 Kilnsea Warren., and partly hidden by three growing thistles ; the 

 eggs were grouped differently to any I have seen before, which 

 is invariably with the narrow ends together, in this case thus : — 



ogo _ 



Naturalist. 



