the winter in fmall flocks, at the mouths of rivers, in fearcfe 

 of worms and marine infedts, which they fcoop out of the 

 mud or fand, at the fame time making a noife with their 

 bills fimilar to that made by ducks, when engaged in the fame 

 purfuit. Latham informs us, " they lay two eggs, the fize 

 of thofe of a pigeon > of a cinerous grey, fmgularly marked 

 with deep brownifh dark patches, of irregular fizes and mapes, 

 befides fome under markings of a dufky hue." 



They are very tenacious of their young, will counterfeit 

 lamenefs, and exert themfelves to the utmoft, in endeavouring 

 to divert the attention of an intruder from their neft ; when a 

 flock is diflurbed, they immediately take wing, 44 ftretching out 

 their necks and extending their legs behind," and continue to 

 flutter about the fpectator, in a manner fimilar to the Lap- 

 wing, uttering at the fame time a yelping cry of twit, twit. 



Their motions are lively and a£live, feldom remaining for 

 any length of time in the fame fpot : though web-footed they 

 feldom go beyond wading depth ; fhould they get into deep 

 water, they feem to make no exertion to fwim, but float for 

 miles without any appearance of fatigue, and reach the more, 

 merely by the force of the current. 



