KNOT.— SANDEELING. 235 



of fourj disturbed from the nest on the 11th of July. 

 This was placed under a large flat stone^ resting on two 

 others^ forming a sort of gangway. It was merely com- 

 posed of reeds and grass, loosely laid together on the earth 

 by the edge of a stream, but no trace of the egg-shells were 

 fouud. These were several miles inland. At this season of the 

 year the Knot soars high in the air like the Common Snipe, 

 and when descending beats its wings behind the back with a 

 rapid motion, producing a loud whirriug noise. In the north 

 these birds feed eagerly on the Saxifraga oppositifolia. 



SANDEKLING. 



Calidris arenaria. 



This little wader first appears early in May, on the spring 

 migration, and stays two or three weeks, occasionally as late 

 as the first week of June. Flocks of old and young return 

 about the end of July, or beginning of August, on their way 

 southward . 



In October great bodies of them may be seen flying 

 to the westward. As the name implies, the Sanderling 

 feeds on the sea-sands, probing for its food, which consists 

 of small worms and Crustacea, after the manner of the Snipe. 

 In the breeding-season it eats also the buds of Saxifraga 

 oppositifolia. It is found along the whole coast, especially 

 at Worthing, Pagham, Sidlesham, and Bosham. 



In the Arctic Regions, where it breeds; the eggs were first 

 fully identified by Mr. McFarlane, when collecting for the 

 Smithsonian Institution, near the Anderson River, and the 

 German Arctic Expedition met with similar nests on the 

 east coast of Greenland. 



Professor Newton obtained an egg in Iceland, and Colonel 



