6 
Waders. 
I liope, in the not distant future, there may be an 
opportunity for testinj^' and studying' them more fuhy in our 
aviaries. 
My sHght experience of tliem has but whetted my appetite 
for more. 
^ 
Waders. 
By W. Shore Baily. 
What has become of our east coast wildfowlers ? 
At this time of the year, or a Httle earher, they used to 
send regular consignments of our conmioner sliore-birds to the 
London bird dealers. I only remember having seen one small 
lot offered there for several years now. 
The late cold spell emphasises what charming birds they 
are ; especially where a small pond or stream can be enclosed 
in their aviary. They are the only birds that look absolutely 
happy in really bitter weather, and they seem to be much more 
active under these adverse ( ? ) conditions than they are in the 
heat of summer. 
My favourites are the Knots {Triiiga camita), but the 
Redshanks (Toiantis cal'idris) and Dunlin {Triuga alp'uia) are 
almost as attractive. The rarer Sandpipers, such as the Sander- 
ling (Calidris arciiaria), Little Stint (T. mimtta). Turnstone 
(Strcpsilas intcrprcs) and Curlew-Sandpiper (Triiiga sitbarquota) 
are rarely obtainable, although at times there must be numbers 
of them on the mud-flats, and they should be no more difScult 
to net than the commoner species. 
The Oyster Catcher {H cmatopus ostralcgus) and Ringed 
Plover (Acglalitis hiaticola) are very common on some parts of 
our coasts, and it would not be difficult to get their young ones; 
after reading Mr. Percival's account of the rearing of young 
Plovers from the egg in a recent issue of B.N., I shall be rather 
tempted to ixy my hand with them next spring, as I know where 
a number of tliese birds nest. I fancy, how'ever, that they do 
not do so well in captivity as the other kinds. , 
I feed my Waders as follows : First thing in the morning 
'in bread and milk, of which they are very fond; at mid-day they 
j^et melox, and at night millet. I leave theni unpinioned, as 
