204 Order XIII 



summer range extends from Scandinavia and north 

 Russia to the tundras or Arctic wastes of Asia, chiefly 

 within the Arctic Circle. In winter it is often common 

 in our marshes, coming in October and varying greatly 

 in numbers from year to year. This was one of the 

 species of which the eggs were first found by John 

 WoUey in Lapland, and his description of the habits 

 tallies with those of our common bird ; in the shooting 

 season, however, it lies stUl more closely, rises without 

 any alarm-note, and flies for shorter distances. In 

 colour they are somewhat alike, but the Jack Snipe 

 shews a considerable amount of metallic green and 

 purple above. The eggs are smaller and, on the whole, 

 have darker brown markings. 



The Dunlin (Tringa alpina) is one of the first shore- 

 birds to be noticed by the novice, for in early autumn 

 it may be seen running about the wet sands in large 

 or small flocks, which are often so tame that he can 

 actually walk among them, though it is not long before 

 they become more wary. These flocks are mainly com- 

 posed of migrants from abroad, but the bird breeds on 

 the coasts of northern England as well as on elevated 

 moorlands from Cornwall northwards ; in Scotland it 

 is much more abundant in summer, whfle in Ireland it 

 nests in a good many localities. Eastward it is found 

 from Holland and north Germany to Siberia, and thence 

 northward, as well as in North America, Iceland, the 

 Fseroes, and rarely in Spain and Italy. Several races 

 have been distinguished, but cannot be considered in our 

 limited space. The food is of insects, worms, crustaceans, 

 and so forth ; the note varies from a ' ' tweet " to a whistle ; 

 the flight is swift and often circling. The nest, placed 

 in short herbage or stunted heather, is a slight structure. 



