74 SCOLOPACID.E. 



of the ground has harboured soft mud and small pebbles, 

 which places generally abound with small insects, worms and 

 their larvae, flies, gnats, and minute beetles ; in its stomach 

 is generally a considerable accumulation of sand as well as 

 vegetable matter. It also frequents the sea-coast, where the 

 ground is soft and muddy. 



The exertions, morning and evening, of this elegant bird 

 in pursuit of its food are quite indefatigable ; during that 

 time it runs about on high legs, with its body in a hori- 

 zontal direction, and its beak pointed towards the ground. 

 During the middle of the day the bird rests and sleeps, and 

 when it is surprised it does not even fly away, but remains 

 stationary until forced to leave the spot, and then flies or 

 skims away close over the surface of the water at a rate equal 

 to that of a snipe. It is indeed very extraordinary how this 

 little creature can keep up with the largest of the sandpipers, 

 not only on the wing, but also on the ground ; it proves at 

 least that its motions must be exceedingly quick. The 

 Temminck's Stint has another peculiarity, namely, when in 

 company with other species it acts in unison with them, for 

 it is shy when its companions are shy, or tame when they 

 are tame. When it is alone, the bird is not shy, unless it 

 has been put up several times. We have already said that 

 the present species is sociable, and prefers the society of its 

 own species, as they are generally found on the borders of the 

 Baltic and the Caspian Sea, in numbers of from ten to forty 

 or fifty. 



The call-note of the present species sounds very much like 

 shaking a bunch of small keys, or may be expressed in the 

 word tirrr, tirrr ! 



Respecting the reproduction of the species, very little is 

 known, and that only from hearsay, consequently not much 

 to be depended upon ; the greatest probability is, that Tern- 



