concealed and by no means easy to discover. The eggs 

 are four in number, very large for tlie size of the bird, 

 and of a creamy vi^hite, much spotted with dark brown. 

 When the young are hatched the parent birds display 

 the utmost anxiety, and go through all the well-known 

 devices to draw off a human or canine intruder that may 

 frequently be noticed in the case of other wading birds. 

 This Sandpiper when suddenly startled from the side of 

 a stream shoots off with a darting flight close to the 

 surface of the water, uttering a shrill piping whistle 

 rapidly repeated ; but it is naturally of a confiding 

 character, and I have frequently passed one or two in a 

 boat within less than half a gunshot without disturbing 

 them as they ran on the gravel banks with constant 

 nodding of heads and flirting of tails ; they very frequently 

 perch, especially upon rail-fences and stone walls. When 

 unable to fly from youth or a wound, the Sandpiper 

 frequently takes to the water, and not only swims well, 

 but dives with ease. I have met with this species in 

 every suitable locality in Europe that I hiave visited, but 

 nowhere in such abundance as upon a creek of the 

 Guadalquivir in May 1883. 



