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VARIETIES OF THE DUNLIN. 

 By J. Backhouse. 



For several years past, when observing birds on the coast of 

 Yorkshire, the writer has taken particular notice of what may be 

 looked upon as our commonest Wader — the Dunlin. He has also 

 seen the species repeatedly at its breeding haunts upon some of 

 the highest Yorkshire " Fells," and now ventures to offer a few 

 remarks upon the subject for the benefit of those who, like him- 

 self, know and can appreciate these common and often despised 

 little birds wherever they meet with them. That two remarkably 

 distinct races of the Dunlin regularly occur in Yorkshire is a fact 

 realised by ornithologists, and by those who are habitual gunners 

 on our coasts. The one is a strongly built bird, with long 

 straight bill, and wings some 4f in. in length, found in enormous 

 flocks, often congregating with other Waders ; the other is a 

 smaller, slighter built bird, with a shorter and straighter bill, and 

 a decidedly shorter wing-measurement. 



The latter bird is more solitary in its ways, and, as the late 

 Mr. John Cordeaux points out, "differs from the more common 

 species in resorting to the borders of the marsh-drains, or to the 

 * fittie-land ' adjoining the ' muds,' in preference to the flats, and 

 is remarkable for its extreme tameness, permitting a very close 

 approach." This small Dunlin was described by Brehm, under 

 the distinctive title Tringa schinsii, as early as 1822, and, as 

 compared with certain other so-called species, is equally worthy 

 of a separate designation to-day ; for, although mere relative 

 measurements of bill or wing may not of themselves be looked 

 upon as sufficient to differentiate the two forms specifically, 

 there are other reasons why the question should, we think, be 

 reconsidered. The following illustration showing the typical 

 heads of the respective forms is here given, in the hope that 

 it may prove useful as showing the general pose of the bill in 

 each case. 



