268 THE COMMON SANDPIPER 



THE WOOD SANDPIPER 



t6tanus glAreola 



Winter — a narrow dusky streak between the bill and eye ; upper parts deep 

 brown, spotted with white ; breast and adjacent parts dirty white, 

 mottled with ash-brown ; under plumage and tail-coverts pure white ; 

 tail-feathers barred with brown and white ; two outer feathers on each 

 side with the inner web pure white ; bill and legs greenish. Summer — 

 head streaked with brown and dull white ; the white of the breast 

 clearer ; each of the feathers of the back with two white spots on each 

 side of the centre. Length seven and a half inches. 



This species closely resembles the last both in appearance and habits. 

 It received its name of Wood Sandpiper from having been observed 

 occasionally to resort to boggy swamps of birch and alder, and has 

 been seen even to perch on a tree. Its most common places of 

 resort are, however, swamps and wet heaths. Like the last, it is a 

 bird of wide geographical range, nowhere very abundant, and 

 imperfectly known, coming only on passage in spring and autumn. 



THE COMMON SANDPIPER 

 t6tanus hypoleucus 



Upper parts ash-brown, glossed with olive ; back and central tail-feathers 

 marked with fine wavy lines of rich dark brown ; a narrow white streak 

 over each eye ; under plumage pure white, streaked at the sides with 

 brown ; outer tail-feathers barred with white and brown ; bill dusky, 

 lighter at the base ; feet greenish ash. Length seven and a half inches . 

 Eggs whitish yellow, spotted with brown and grey. 



To this bird has been given not inappropriately the name of Sum- 

 mer Snipe. In form and mode of living it resembles the Snipe 

 properly so called, and it is known to us only during summer. Un- 

 like the last two species, it is a bird of common occurrence. One 

 need only to repair to a retired district abounding in streams and 

 lakes, at any period of the year between April and September, and 

 there, in all probability, this lively bird will be found to have made 

 for itself a temporary home. Arrayed in unattractive plumage, 

 and distinguished by no great power of song — its note being simply 

 a piping, which some people consider the utterance of one of its 

 provincial names, ' Willy Wicket ' — it may nevertheless be pro- 

 nounced an accomplished bird. It flies rapidly and in a tortuous 

 course, likely to puzzle any but the keenest shot ; it runs with 

 remarkable nimbleness, so that if a sportsman has marked it down, 

 it will probably rise many yards away from the spot ; it can swim 

 if so inclined ; and when hard pressed by a Hawk, it has been seen 

 to dive and remain under water untU all danger had passed away. 

 It has never been observed to perch on the twigs of trees, but it 

 has been noticed running along the stumps and projecting roots 

 of trees. Its favourite places of resort are withy holts (where it 



