334 
SCOLOPACIDJE. 
the more easily covered by the bird; and it will be 
seen how necessary this arrangement is, when we take 
into consideration the magnitude of the egg, and the 
small size of the bird, which is not a great deal larger 
than the skylark. 
In consequence of the very large size of the eggs of 
most of the grallatorial birds, the young ones have 
room for growth, and come forth in a much less help¬ 
less state than the progeny of the incessorial birds; they 
are thus able to get out of danger, which is much more 
imminent upon the ground, than when snugly covered 
by the foliage of a tree, and to run quickly to avoid 
it almost as soon as they are hatched. 
Mr. Wolley, in one of his letters from the North, says, 
“ I have several times found the nest of the Common 
Sandpiper in Scotland, under branches of the juniper, 
spreading horizontally as you fond the turnstones. The 
bird is abundant in Lapland/' 
Although, in general, the eggs of this Sandpiper do 
not differ much, there are yet some beautiful varieties; 
some of those in the collection of Mr. Hancock are of 
a clear but very light-blue ground-colour, with minute 
brown spots all over; others have the warm colouring 
of the plate, but much darker; and a few have large 
blotches of deep brown and neutral tint. 
