OTHER SNIPES AND SANDPIPERS 297 



The knot flies swiftly, presents a fairly good mark, 

 and comes readily to decoys, especially when the notes 

 of its call, " wheep, wheep," are imitated. 



III. — THE DUNLIN 



The dunlin of the gunners is the red-backed sand- 

 piper of the ornithologist. They are found through- 

 out America, and have been given the name dunlin 

 from the European bird. In the check-list of the 

 American Ornithological Union this bird is given as 

 a sub-species ; the English dunlin, which is an oc- 

 casional visitor to our shores, being placed as the 

 species. 



The dunlin is usually shot by sportsmen and is 

 plump and palatable. Trumbull says no apology is 

 necessary for introducing it in his list, as, notwithstand- 

 ing its diminutive size, it has appeared many times in 

 lists of gunners' birds, and affords some sport even to 

 adults when bigger birds are absent. Bates, who is 

 most familiar with shore-bird shooting as practised on 

 the Massachusetts coast, says this bird is deservedly a 

 favorite with sportsmen, both from its beautiful plu- 

 mage and for its edible qualities. They feed on the 

 sandy flats, and in the autumn are easily captured, 

 any boy being able to walk them up, or call them 

 down. Audubon says the bird is considered excel- 

 lent eating. I shot most of my dunlins when a boy, 

 and can hardly regard them as game birds for adults. 

 Think of a dunlin in a bag with the ruffed or prairie 

 grouse, the partridge, woodcock, snipe, teal, canvas- 

 back, or mallard ! 



The red-back is often called black-bellied sandpiper ; 



