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numerous nor many together. Whenever we disturbed one or 

 two they rose with the utmost ease from the ridges of the swell, 

 and alighted again on one side or other of our track. 



Their object was plainly merely to repose and to sun them- 

 selves, before returning to the coast to feed at ebb-tide, in the 

 evening. 



But why had they come out so far to sea for this purpose ? 

 Most likely to avoid the Falconidm so numerous everywhere about 

 the cliffs on those coasts, whilst again the warm temperature of 

 the sea rendered its surface pleasant to them. 



This interesting lesson, as to the habits of these waders, seemed 

 to throw new light, for me, on the migration of woodcocks be- 

 tween Norway and Britain, often with but little apparent fatigue. 

 I can conceive they may very safely rest for a short interval upon 

 the sea, whenever it is not disturbed by broken water ; that the 

 little judcock does the same — and that corncrakes can equally do 

 so when crossing the channel in spring and autumn. I am in- 

 clined to think that the. waders, which we saw resting so much 

 at their ease on the sea, off the west-coast of the Peninsula, were 

 chiefly (from their size and rather light-coloured plumage) To- 

 tanus glottis, the greenshank. 



On the shore of Ullswater I once saw a common sandpiper 

 suddenly fly off on to the lake ; when the cause of this movement 

 became clear, a sparrow-hawk showing itself in pursuit. The 

 sandpiper however alighted on the water before it was overtaken, 

 and dived just in time. On this the hawk gave up the chase 

 and withdrew. Presently the sandpiper re-appeared on the sur- 

 face, but remained in that safe position. That such a bird should 

 be able to dive quickly and successfully even once, gave me no 

 small surprise. 



Equally unexpected was the following way of acting in the 

 young of the peewit, which I witnessed when strolling one day 

 along the margin of a large pond, formed by Lord Ravensworth, 

 near the Bridge-of-Aln, not far from Whittingham. A pair of 

 peewits disturbed my meditations by dashing continually as close 

 to my head as they dared. Having no wish to endanger their 

 eggs or young by trampling on them, I halted and looked closely 



