TO ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. 87 



The Purple Sandpiper is very numerous in Shet- 

 land and Orkney, appearing early in the spring 

 and leaving again in the latter end of April, about 

 which time it collects in large flocks, and may be 

 found on the rocks at ebb-tide, watching each re- 

 tiring wave, running down as the water falls back, 

 picking small shell-fish off the stones, and display- 

 ing great activity in escaping the advancing sea. 

 It does not breed there. 



Tringa variabilis, Meyer. Ebb-Sleeper*. 

 Dunlin. — The Dunlin breeds and is very plentiful 

 in both countries. It frequents more particularly 

 the inland lakes and the rocky shores. The fe- 

 male is rather larger than the male, but in other 

 respects nearly resembles him. I took a nest of 

 this bird with four eggs, on the side of Rona's 

 Hill. The nest is very difficult to find, and it is 

 only by frightening the old bird from the nest 

 that you have a chance of succeeding. When 

 driven from its nest, it will endeavour to draw your 

 attention towards itself. I have had it rise from 

 close under my feet in the breeding-season, and 

 resort to every artifice to effect its object, thereby 

 the more plainly convincing me that the nest was 

 close to me, and yet I have been unsuccessful in 

 my search, so secretly do they make it. A few of 



