22 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



larger than a Sky-Lark's, though more hidden among the grass. 

 There were other Dunlins bleating over the marsh, but I found 

 no more nests that year. 



In 1905, intending to make further observations on the 

 species, I frequently visited the marsh. As early as April 24th, 

 while still in flock, an odd Dunlin among them gave vent to 

 the breeding "bleating" sounds. On May 6th the bleating was 

 more pronounced. The Dunlin's "bleating, buzzing whistle" 

 is usually uttered while descending — on motionless outspread 

 wings — at an angle of about twenty-five degrees, and when the 

 bleating ceases the wing-flappings are resumed. This bleating 

 sound is a string of notes — " whiz-whiz-whiz-whiz-whiz-whiz " — 

 following in quick succession, commencing high in the musical 

 scale, and gradually descending ; seeming to be within the 

 compass of four notes, including all the intermediate intona- 

 tions. They may be imitated by whistling with the point of the 

 tongue, using the vocal organs to produce the "whiz," &c. With 

 the Dunlin the sound is undoubtedly produced by the vocal 

 organs, for once during the day we were some time before we 

 could locate the bird uttering the sounds. Not a Dunlin could 

 we see against the sky, and, the bleating recurring exactly from 

 the same locality, our eyes were instantly directed to a Dunlin 

 down among the marsh-grass, not twenty yards away, quite near 

 enough to see the motion of his throat and mandibles in express- 

 ing the sounds. Finding he was being watched, he with two 

 others of which we were unaware flew towards the river. After- 

 wards we many times heard Dunlins bleating from the ground, 

 and sometimes while gliding through the air on quite a hori- 

 zontal plane. On May 14th, before being long on the marsh, 

 we felt sure there were two pairs of these birds with nests, 

 and, after a long vigil, the low " wote, wote, wote " of a Dunlin 

 reached our ears. (Though these low notes are usually uttered 

 while either standing or in skimming flight low over the grass, 

 it is more rarely given from a height in the air.) " What's 

 that?" inquired my companion. "That," I replied, "is the 

 breeding note of the Dunlin when they have eggs or young " ; 

 and after a while, fancying that it may have come from an 

 unobserved passing bird, and hearing bleating further to the 

 north-east, we resolved to go and investigate it. My friend had 



