290 scolopacim:. 



is : — that they hear its song in spring and summer, chiefly in 

 May ; that it is uttered by solitary birds as well as by those in 

 flocks, and particularly immediately after their alighting on the 

 ground from a flight. After giving forth their notes the birds 

 disperse in search of food, running quickly in all directions, and 

 repeating them again as they proceed. They sing most, early in 

 the morning, for a few hours after sunrise. 



Through the autumn and winter dunlins remain in the bay, unless 

 when greatly persecuted, and then, like wigeon at the latter sea- 

 son, they leave it in the very early morning for Strangford Lough. 

 When much disturbed through the day, about the time of high 

 water, but little choice of a safe resting-place is afforded them, 

 and they take this flight ; yet, unlike the wigeon, whose high or 

 low course through the air is regulated by the wind, they always rise 

 high into the air before starting on their eastward direction, as if it 

 were their aim to reach at once an elevation that will carry them 

 over the intervening chain of hills. During rain, or when the 

 wind blows strong from the east or south-east — against them — 

 no annoyance will induce them to take this flight. In spring, the 

 favourite resort of the congregated multitudes at high water, is 

 to fields adjacent to the shore, which have been ploughed or 

 harrowed, or are slightly brairded with grain. 



Dunlins were considered remarkably numerous in the autumn 

 and winter of 1836, but in some later years they became much 

 more so. On the 1st of December that year, I observed for a 

 long time a great flock on wing, consisting of not less than 

 2,000 birds : this body, as usual, divided into two or three flocks, 

 which alighted separately, but soon again without being molested 

 rose into the air, when all again joined and went through the 

 most graceful and beautiful evolutions. Various notes on the 

 appearances presented by these birds on wing are before me, 

 some of which shall be given, together with an indication of the 

 greatest numbers seen during the years that they were most abun- 

 dant. When immense flocks divide, fly right and left, and shoot 

 into- single strings, they strike upon the eye, while the sun shines 

 upon them, and the dark banks of the bay serve as background, 



