CL. 



TOTANUS GLAREOLA. (Temm.) 



Wood Sandpiper. 



For the following interesting particulars of a bird little 

 known, together with the egg, I have to thank the assiduity 

 of Mr. Hoy. 



" This species is migratory, retiring in September, and 

 making its appearance early in April. That it breeds rather 

 early I infer, from having met with the young, feathered, and 

 capable of flying a short distance, on the 11th of June. I re- 

 gret that I did not discover the bird till late in the season. 



A great portion of Dutch Brabant, more particularly the 

 southern and eastern parts, are covered by large tracts of 

 heath ; the soil of a light sandy nature. A great number of 

 peat bogs and shallow pools of water are dispersed over this 

 district. Most of the small streams are skirted by swampy 

 ground, where the bog myrtle grows in the greatest luxuri- 

 ance, with stunted bushes of alder and willow. These situa- 

 tions are the favourite haunt of this Sandpiper during the 

 breeding season. While the hen bird is sitting, the male flies 

 round in wide circles, and at a considerable elevation. The 

 female sits close ; and the nest is extremely difficult to find. 



If you approach the spot when they have young, and espe- 

 cially if a dog is with you, the old birds will fly round in the 

 most anxious manner ; and will hover over the dog, within a 

 few feet; then suddenly darting off", mount high in the air, 

 pouncing down again with great rapidity on the intruder. 

 If you have observed the actions and manoeuvres of the Red- 

 shank, during the breeding season, you will have seen very 

 much the habits of the Wood Sandpiper. 



It is far from being numerous in the localities where I met 

 with it; yet many pairs are dispersed over these districts, 

 where they have long been known to breed, from information 



