FEEDING-HABITS OF THE DUNLIN. 



8 



remained quietly for a few minutes, then flew to the place which 

 had been inspected by the pair, and began to search eagerly for 

 food. 



What the mental state underlying these actions may be is 

 largely a matter of opinion. It seems to be a variable and 

 varying blend of curiosity, sociability, and selfishness, if we 

 humanize the motives for the convenience of description. Per- 

 haps long-continued dependence on the sense of touch has 

 reduced the acuteness of vision below the level maintained by 

 birds with which the Dunlin associates intimately — an acuteness 

 of vision most necessary in dealing with areas showing the most 

 trifling signs of the presence of food. I do not mean that there 

 is an actual diminution in the keenness of vision. What I 

 venture to suggest is that Dunlins sometimes forget to use their 

 eyes. Habitually absorbed in the art of rapid and incessant 

 probing, they are inclined to depend on other eyes for the 

 detection of danger ; on feeding-grounds which show slight 

 surface markings or none at all their actions indicate that they 

 are unable to find hidden objects without applying the test of 

 touch, and as in a given time the bill covers a more limited field 

 than a keen sense of vision does, they may rely in part, and it 

 may be unconsciously, on the judgment of other birds. 



Apparently they take an interest in the doings of their neigh- 

 bours, and on occasion they act as if they were assisting or 

 robbing each other. Usually the small animals are seized, 

 extracted from the ground and swallowed rapidly — so rapidly 

 that the steps are not always easy to follow. Sometimes there 

 is delay, particularly when worms of fair size are captured. If 

 not too late, the Dunlins may forestall the first-comer, and by 

 their interference allow the object to escape, but as a rule the 

 capture of a big mudworm is the signal for the nearest Dunlins 

 to hurry to the spot, not to probe immediately but to examine 

 the place by sight, then to tap and probe once or twice and dis- 

 perse. I have notes of two instances of a less common kind. A 

 Dunlin probed into a colony of mudworms and tugged vigorously 

 without result. It was seen by another, which introduced its 

 bill alongside that of the first. Both pulled together several 

 times, and extracted a worm about three inches long. The 

 second arrival took the worm a short distance away and devoured 



b 2 



