3*5 cassell's book of birds. 



Marine marshes on the seashore, or the borders of lakes and rivers, are the situations they prefer, 

 visiting the temperate climates during the winter, and returning to the colder latitudes to spend the 

 summer months. Their migrations take place in large parties, which fly by night or early in the 

 morning. During the recess of the tide, they may be seen upon the sea-shore, seeking their food 

 from the refuse of the ocean, or quietly and intently probing the sands in search of worms and shell- 

 fish, and sometimes retreating rapidly before the advancing surge, and profiting by what the wave 

 leaves on its retreat. In all their movements they display great activity, either when running rapidly 

 and lightly on the fore part of their toes over the surface of the moist sand, when swimming in the 

 water, or when winging their way with a varied, graceful, and rapid flight through the air. The voice 

 of these birds is clear, piping, and resonant. All the various species are social and peaceful in their 

 habits, and it is probable that the encounters in which they indulge at certain seasons of the year are 

 as much in sport as in rivalry. The food of the Sandpiper consists of worms, small molluscs, insects, 

 larvae, and similar fare, but occasionally of delicate seeds. The four pear-shaped eggs are deposited 

 in a dry hollow on the ground, which is slightly lined with a few blades of grass. The female alone 

 broods ; the young come forth covered with down, they at once leave the nest, and grow with great 

 rapidity. 



The CURLEW SANDPIPERS {Limicola) have a compact body, short neck, and small head ; 

 the beak is longer than the head, and only soft and flexible at its tip, which is broad, and curves 

 slightly downward. The low, stout, bare foot is furnished with four toes. The wings are pointed, 

 and have the first and second quills of equal length, and longer than the rest ; the tail is short and 

 pointed towards its centre. 



THE PIGMY CURLEW SANDPIPER. 



The Pigmy Curlew Sandpiper {Limicola pygmaa) has the crown blackish brown, decorated 

 with reddish yellow stripes ; the mantle-feathers are black lined with reddish yellow ; the upper wing 

 is ash-grey; the feathers on the lower throat, crop, and sides of the breast are reddish yellow, spotted 

 with brown and tipped with white ; the under side is white. The eye is brown, the beak reddish 

 grey at its base and black at its extremity, and the foot dark greenish grey. During the autumn the 

 upper parts of the body are dark grey, and the feathers have a somewhat mottled appearance, as their 

 shafts are of a dark and their edges of a light shade. This bird is six inches long and thirteen broad, 

 the wing measures four inches and one-third, and the tail one inch and a half. 



The Pigmy Curlew is met with principally in the northern parts of Asia and America, and also, 

 though more rarely, in Europe. In England it has been known to breed occasionally. Moist river- 

 banks or marshy localities are the situations it prefers, and from these it obtains the insects, larva;, and 

 worms upon which it principally subsists. Unlike the rest of the family, it does not associate with 

 other birds. The Pigmy Curlew flies well and rapidly, walks with short interrupted steps, and, if 

 disturbed, crouches flat to the ground, and allows the enemy to approach quite close before taking 

 wing. The voice resembles that of the Common Sandpiper. Keitel tells us that in its habits this 

 species does not differ from the rest of the family. The eggs found by that gentleman in Lapland 

 were long and pear-shaped, with a dull olive-yellow shell, marked with greyish brown. 



THE SANDERLING. 



The Sanderling (Calidris arenaria) has the hinder toe entirely undeveloped. This small bird 



is only seven inches long and fifteen broad. In spring the upper parts of the body are black, or 



brownish red, spotted with yellow and white ; the blackish brown upper wing is marked with zigzag 



rust-red spots, and striped with white. The under side, as far as the white breast, is reddish grey, the 



