128 THE SPECIES. 



The Dunlin — Dimensions, Gg; Eggs, Id — is the commonest Sandpiper, and is found on 

 our coast in all months of the year. The flight is swift, with occasional sprints," and on 

 alighting the wings are held up during the run. During the breeding season the Dunlin 

 soars. The call is a "twee wee wee." In the winter the plumage is white below and grey 

 above. The nest is a slight hollow, lined with rootlets, and containing four eggs. 



Bonaparte's Sandpiper — Dimensions, Gi ; Eggs, Ik — is an occasional straggler from across 

 the Atlantic. 



The Pectoral Sandpiper — Dimensions, Hf ; Eggs, Jq — is another American species, but a 

 far commoner one. 



The Purple Sandpiper — Dimensions, Hj ; Eggs, Jh— appears on our rocky coasts in 

 September, and stays with us all through the winter. It has a swift, dipping flight, and 

 swims well. Its call has been syllabised as " ince " and " weet, weet." 



The Knot — Dimensions, ]j — is really the Knut, from the king whose courtiers forgot the 

 double tide in Southampton Water ; the Latinisation of his name gives the specific 

 Canutas. It is a winter visitor like the Purple Sandpiper ; and in the winter months u is a 

 greyish bird, with white under parts. Its llight is strong and straight, and it always alights 

 head to wind. 



Troglodytes. Plate iv. TROGLODYT/NM [Vassenix). 



59. parvulus, y^ in. WREN. Brown above, barred with darker brown ; 

 greyish brown below ; wing with two faint while 

 bars ; remiges 18 ; the secondaries and tertials 

 equal to primaries ; tail barred with black and held 

 nearly upright. 



The Wren — Dimensions, Ab : Eggs, Bl — is one of our commonest residents, but is not so 

 common as it gets credit for. It hasa short, straight, whirring flighty, with no dips in it ; but 

 it is generally noticed skulking among the hedgerows. It often sings on the wing, and it 

 sings all the year round; its call is a clicking as of winding up a clock.. The female has 

 paler legs than the male. Its nest is a large one, built with a dome, and it has the eiurance 

 at the side, generally with woven straws round the doorway. The materials are moss, leaves, 

 hair, grass, and feathers. There are from four to nine eggs. 



Tryngites. Plate xxviii. SCOLOPACIDM. 



325. ru/escens, 8 in. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Buffish brown, 

 mottled with black above ; primaries and 

 secondaries marbled with black on undersides. 



The Buflf-breasted Sandpiper — Dimensions, He; Eggs, Jh — is an American straggler 

 recorded here about half-a-dozen times. 



TurdUB. Plate i. TURDINM (Passeridae). 



3. iliacus, 8 in. Redwing. Spotted olive brown above ; broad 



white stripe over eye ; spotted buffish below ; 

 axiUaries and flanks red. 



a. mudcus, 8J in. Thrush. Olive brown above, whitish below ; 

 crown very flat ; plumage spotted and streaked with 

 dark brown ; axiUaries pale yellow. 



6. atrigularis, 9J in. Black-thkoated Thrush. Throat and breast 

 black. 



S. mtgratorius, 10 in. American Robin. Plumage black, with reddish 

 breast. 



4. pilaris, lo^ in. Fieldfare. Greyish brown above ; wings and 



tail dark brown ; axiUaries white ; bluish rump ; 

 legs dark brown. 



I. viscivorus, 11 in. Missel Thrush. Brown above, buff below 

 spotted with dark brown ; axiUaries white ; rump 

 brown ; legs pale brown. 



The Redwing— Dimensions, Gq ; Eggs, Fj— comes from its northern haunts in September 

 and leaves us in May. ^ It appears in loose flocks. Its flight is rapid and straight, with the 

 wmgs motionless in gliding down to settle. Its call is a shrill "yelp," and its song a rich, 

 wild, flute-like trill. The female is not 50 bright in colour as the male. 



