I'L UL KW SANDPIPER.
birds have also been met with in Cornwall, near Falmouth, but not
commonly; one at Swanpool, near there, in 1856; others also; in
D e v o n s h i r e , near Plymouth, and in several places; in Hampshire, a nd
S u r r e y , near Godalming. In Durham a pair, male and female, were
procured near Hartlepool, and one near Sunderland, in J a n u a r y , 1814;
i n Kent, one, n e a r Deal, on t h e 16th. of A u g u s t , 1850. One was shot
by the late F. F . Foljambe, Esq., October 1st., 1812. In Yorkshire,
Edward Dawson, Esq., of Osgodby Hall, has informed me of his having
shol three at one shot, on SMpwith Common, in March, 1855. Great
numbers were killed by G. R u d d , E s q . ; several near H u l l ; a few near
York and Leeds; also Borne near Burlington. One at Spurn Point,
October 9th., 1869, of which W. 11. Rawson, Esq., of Exeter College,
Oxford, has informed me.
I n Scotland, .Sir William J a r d i n e , I5art., has found them in Dumfriesshire
and on both sides of the Solway, as also on the shores of
the coast, and the lochs in other parts. It is besides a b i r d of Caithness,
and East Lothian.
I n I r e l a n d , t h e l a t e William Thompson, E s q . , of Belfast, has described
t h em as not uncommon.
T h e y frequent the low, flat, and sandy parts of the coast, and at
limes resort to the open sides of i n l a n d seas, lakes, and ponds. They
consort with the Common Sandpiper.
They migrate by night, and arrive about the end of J u l y.
These birds go in troops, sometimes of considerable numbers. They
feed during p a r t of the d a y , a n d when the tide comes up too high,
r e t i r e for a time, h u t only to r e t u r n again as soon as t h e waters have
receded, They are by no means shy, and if disturbed, soon fly back
to their feeding place. It is said that if suddenly surprised singly,
t h e y will lie close to the g r o u n d , but if a flock be together they
t a k e better care of themselves. They sometimes mix with other birds.
' T h e flight of the C u r l ew Tringa is quick, and performed by rapid
motions of the sharp- p o i n t e d wings, while flying at a high elevat
i o n ; but skimming when passing low over the water or flats.'
T h e y run very fast along the sands of the ocean side. How far
b e t t e r is it to spend a leisure hour in watching the actions of t he
sea birds in their natural haunts, and so gain health, happiness, a nd
r e v e r e n c e , than to waste time in revelry or mere worldly pleasure,
to the lowering of the tone both of t h e body and the mind. ' T he
end of that mirth is heaviness,' says the wise man; but t h e medicine
that the opeu air supplies, surely, ' ' t i s the best of any.' In the
timely use of i t , you may look, with Go d ' s blessing, for t h e ' m e ns
sana in corpore sano.'
CURLEW SANDPIPER.
These birds feed on shrimps and sandhoppers, small Crustacea, insects,
and worms, for which they bore in the soft sand. In confinement
they are said never to swallow their food without first dipping
it in water.
The call-note is a shrill pipe, and is u t t e r e d at times on t h e wing.
The eggs are described as yellowish spotted with brown.
Male; weight, two ounces; length, seven inches and a half to eight
or a quarter or even n i n e ; the bill, which is curved downwards, is
nearly black, in winter brownish black; the space b e t w e e n it and t he
eyes is d u s k y ; over it runs a band of b r i g h t rust-colour, which in
winter becomes grey or w h i t e ; iris, very dark brown; it is encircled
with whitish feathers. Forehead, white, whitish, or mixed with pale
r e d d i s h brown, according to the time of t h e y e a r ; head on the crown,
neck on the back, and nape, bright rust-coloured or chesnut, with
black spots and marks on t h e feathers; in winter the rust-colour fades
into grey on the sides of the head, and on the back it is greyish
brown, streaked and s p o t t e d with darker brown, with a slight olivaceous
gloss. Chin, whitish; in winter white; throat and breast above, a nd
on the sides, reddish rust-colour, or chesnut, the latter with white
edges to the feathers towards winter, and a dusky marking between
t h e two c o l o u r s ; below white, with indistinct rust-coloured or chesnut
markings, and arrow-headed black spots and streaks; in winter the
chesnut becomes white, yellowish white, or grey, and of this colour
is the whole under surface of the b o d y ; back above, nearly black,
each feather edged with reddish chesnut brown; on the lower part,
blackish grey edged with white, gradually paler, and the feathers
edged with white; in winter the rust-colour becomes brown with a
slight tinge of olivaceous bronze.
The wings, which, when closed, reach a little beyond the t a i l , have
the first quill feather the longest, the axillary plume white; greater
wing coverts, dusky grey, the edges paler, the shafts black; in winter
t h e lesser coverts are g r e y , the centre of t h e feather rather darker than
the rest; lesser wing coverts, nearly black, each feather broadly edged
with reddish chesnut or r u s t - c o l o u r ; in winter the l a t t e r becomes white
from yellowish white in a u t u m n ; primaries and secondaries, dusky black
with white shafts; the l a t t e r in winter hecome edged with w h i t e ; t e r t i a r i e s,
nearly black, each feather broadly edged with reddish chesnut or rustcolour,
which in winter changes to white from yellowish white in autumn.
The tail, of twelve feathers, is brownish grey with white tips and shafts
to the feathers, those towards the outside paler and clouded, underneath
it is greyish w h i t e ; it is wedge-shaped; upper tail coverts, white, with
a few square dusky spots; in winter with or without dusky markings