GREEN - SANDPIPER. 
155 
It is described as journeying principally alone, or in pairs; 
six or seven being the most that are seen journeying together, 
and these generally young birds. Its migration is conducted 
during the night, from dusk to daylight. ‘During the day 
it frequents the moist banks of rivers, lakes, and canals, but 
very rarely the sea side, and when disturbed flies invariably 
to a great distance on its way, either north or south, 
according to the time of the year, in which direction its 
destination lies. It flies always at a great elevation, from 
whence it descends like a stone to the spot where it intends 
to alight, either for rest or food/ 
They are said to be exceedingly good birds to eat. They 
are of very shy and solitary habits, and do not admit of a 
near approach, unless it be an unexpected one favoured by 
the sheltered nature of the cover which they naturally seek. 
They do not keep to the same spot for more than twenty- 
four hours. 
They are noticeable in flight from the white of the tail 
and tail coverts. 
They run with facile agility, and, if occasion requires, with 
great swiftness. They fly well and strongly, the wings for 
the most part being not fully stretched, but quickly moved; 
before alighting they are almost closed, and the bird shoots 
down until near the ground, when it makes one or two short 
turns and then settles. In running along they frequently 
flirt up and spread the tail. If suddenly startled up they fly 
off at a low height, following the winding of the stream, at 
first silently, but then uttering their whistling cry, and 
mounting high into the air. 
They feed on insects, their larvse, and worms. 
The note, a shrill whistle, has been likened to the word 
‘cheet/ repeated, and also to ‘dlee, dlee, dlee,’ and also ‘die, 
die/ It is one which you will be sure to notice. 
The nest is either in sand on a bank, or among grass by 
the side of a stream. 
The eggs, four in number, are of a greenish white ground 
colour, with dusky or dark brown and light reddish brown 
and grey spots, more or less dark. 
Male; weight, about three ounces and a quarter, or rather 
more; length, nine inches and a half to nearly ten; bill, very 
slender, and dull greenish black at the base, the remainder 
dusky black; from it a pale dusky greyish brown streak 
proceeds to and over the eye, between which and the base of 
