290 
SCOLOPACID^. 
is : — that they hear its song in spring and summer_, chiefly in 
May ; that it is uttered by solitary birds as well as by those in 
flocks, and particularly immediately after their alighting on the 
ground from a flight. After giving forth their notes the birds 
disperse in search of food, running quickly in all directions, and 
repeating them again as they proceed. They sing most, early in 
the morning, for a few hours after sunrise. 
Through the autumn and winter dunlins remain in the bay, unless 
when greatly persecuted, and then, like wigeon at the latter sea- 
son, they leave it in the very early morning for Strangford Lough. 
When much disturbed through the day, about the time of high 
water, but little choice of a safe resting-place is afforded them, 
and they take tliis flight ; yet, unlike the wigeon, whose high or 
low course through the air is regulated by the wind, they always rise 
high into the air before starting on their eastward direction, as if it 
were their aim to reach at once an elevation that will carry them 
over the intervening chain of hills. During rain, or when the 
wind blows strong from the east or south-east — against them — 
no annoyance will induce them to take this flight. In spring, the 
favourite resort of the congregated multitudes at high water, is 
to fields adjacent to the shore, which have been ploughed or 
harrowed, or are slightly brairded with grain. 
Dunlins were considered remarkably numerous in the autumn 
and winter of 1836, but in some later years they became much 
more so. On the 1st of December that year, I observed for a 
long time a great flock on wing, consisting of not less than 
2,000 birds : this body, as usual, divided into two or three flocks, 
which alighted separately, but soon again without being molested 
rose into the air, when all again joined and went through the 
most graceful and beautiful evolutions. Yarious notes on the 
appearances presented by these birds on wing are before me, 
some of which shall be given, together with an indication of the 
greatest numbers seen during the years that they were most abun- 
dant. When immense flocks divide, fly right and left, and shoot 
into single strings, they strike upon the eye, while the sun shines 
upon them, and the dark banks of the bay serve as background. 
