BIRDS 367 



of the sand-hills, behind which the 'guns' are stationed. Happily 

 there is no great demand for them as food, so few are shot, 

 though some few years ago large numbers were netted at the 

 south end of Walney by Troughton, the rabbit- catcher. 



Mr. Nicol, who has these birds under daily observation 

 throughout the year, assures me that they are constant in feed- 

 ing on mussel-shells, which he has heard them breaking when 

 night-fishing. My own experience confirms this, both as regards 

 Walney Island and the Solway; but were limpets present, these 

 shellfish would no doubt be equally acceptable. When the 

 young first run, and until they can fly, they are carefully fed by 

 the parents, which bring live food to them from the scars. The 

 Oystercatcher is an expert swimmer, and Mr. Nicol has seen 

 a wounded bird dive like a Duck. The birds which breed on 

 the upper marshes, and they are not numerous, leave their 

 breeding-grounds as soon as the young can fly, but they some- 

 times re-appear. For example, on December 13th, 1890, in 

 sharp frost, a pair of these birds were wheeling noisily off the 

 point of Eockliffe marsh. Hardy as these birds must be 

 admitted to be, I have often found their remains washed ashore 

 after severe gales, which also frequently drive them inland. 

 After the south-west gale of November 1st, 1887, Mr. W. Duck- 

 worth saw a storm-beaten Oystercatcher as far inland as 

 Brampton. Though specially vociferous in the breeding season, 

 the Oystercatcher is always a noisy bird. On the 2 2d of 

 August 1889 an old pair of Oystercatchers rose off the mud 

 banks of the Wampool and flew slowly over us, piping as lustily 

 as if they had young in the neighbourhood, which was not 

 the case. Exactly the same trait has often been noticed in the 

 Peewit and Black-headed Gull. 



Order LIMIGOLJE. Fam. 8G0L0PAGIDJE. 



EED-NECKED PHALAEOPE. 



Phalaropus hyperboreus (L. ). 



Whether the Eed-necked Phalarope ever visits the estuaries 



of the Duddon and Morecambe Bay I am unable to say from 



personal knowledge. Certainly no specimens obtained in the 



southern portion of Lakeland are at present forthcoming, nor 



