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In the breeding-season the Whimbrel is found scattered all over the north of Europe and 

 Asia. It breeds but rarely in England, though more commonly in the north of Scotland. 

 Mr. A. G. More writes as follows : — " Mr. Thomas Gough, of Kendal, tells me that the nest of 

 the Whimbrel has been recently found on the mountains of Yorkshire adjoining Westmoreland, 

 and that he has perfect confidence in his informant. Mr. W. Dunbar describes the Whimbrel 

 as plentiful during the breeding-season all along the coast of Sutherland and Caithness, and he 

 tells me that it breeds in open moors near the sea. Mr. H. Osborne also marks the Whimbrel 

 as breeding in Caithness. It breeds in Orkney and Shetland, but not in the Outer Hebrides." 



Captain Feilden met with it breeding on the Fseroes, where, he says, " they are so abundant 

 as a breeding species that we never seemed to be able to get out of their sight ; they were con- 

 stantly flying round us in company with the Oyster-catchers. The first nest of the Whimbrel 

 that we procured was on the 25th of May, in the island of Sunderce; afterwards we found them 

 in considerable numbers. On the 17th of June I got twelve nests, each with four eggs, which 

 had been collected for me the week previously from the vicinity of Nordedahl, Stromce ; all were 

 quite fresh. On the 16th of June I found a nest in rather a singular position ; it was placed 

 close to a rill, between two blocks of stone, which just gave room enough for the bird to squeeze 

 between. The Whimbrel is of a pugnacious disposition whilst breeding, and is constantly on 

 the alert to drive off intruders from the vicinity of its nest ; I have watched them by the hour 

 chasing the Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. fuscus). When engaged in these combats their flight 

 is rapid and arrow-like, whilst they constantly repeat their trilling cry, which has not inaptly 

 been described as resembling the words tetty, tetty, tetty, tet, quickly repeated. A beautiful 

 white variety is in Herr Muller's collection." In Norway, as we are informed by our friend 

 Mr. Robert Collett, "it is chiefly found during the breeding-season north of the Trondhjems 

 fiord, where it is numerous in the coast-region of Nordland and Finmark, in the latter localities 

 commoner than Numenius arquatus. In Southern Norway, where this latter species is so 

 numerous, the Whimbrel is rare during the summer, and found only here and there, though 

 breeding in the fells at an altitude of from 3000 to 4000 feet above the level of the sea, as on the 

 Jotunfjeld and in Thelemarken; but it is only found there in scattered pairs. The nest is simply 

 a depression in the soil on the top of some slight elevation in any comparatively dry spot in the 

 marshes, and is usually lined with a few grass bents or leaves of Rubus chamcemorus. The old 

 birds are very shy, and can rarely be approached within gunshot, though fond of their young." 

 On the Tromso island Mr. Collett found incubated eggs on the 17th of June. 



In Dresser's collection is a series of the eggs of this bird, all collected on the Fseroe islands, 

 which in size vary from 2%% inches by Iff to 2f § by Iff, being pear-shaped : in colour they vary 

 from light olive-brown to dark greenish brown ; and most of them are clouded and blotched with 

 dark umber-brown, the spots being more numerous towards the larger end. Dr. E. Rey writes 

 us that he has measured twenty-seven eggs, which average 58 - 2 by 40 - 8, the largest measuring 

 62 by 43, and the smallest 54 - 5 by 39*5 millimetres respectively. In form he finds very little 

 variation ; but in colour and marking they vary greatly. Mr. Benzon, who informs us that he 

 very much doubts if it ever breeds so far south as Denmark, has in his collection entirely 

 unspotted eggs from the Fseroes. The measurements of a series from the Fseroes and Iceland he 

 gives as from 54 by 41 to 65 by 43 millimetres respectively. He writes that he has had fresh 



