CURLEW SANDPIPER.
TRINOA SUBARQUATA.
NORFOLK, Sussex, anil Kent arc the only English counties in which I have met wirli litis species. On the
Scotch coast I never recognized this Sandpiper in spring, though the young are far from uncommon in
autumn along the sandy shores of the t'irlh of Forth, between Gullune Hay and Dunbar. Adults exhibiting
the full breeding-plumage appear from my own observations, as well as from the in fori nation gathered from the
punt-gunners and shore-shooters I encountered in my- travels, to have been at all times somewhat scarce; in
autumn, however, numbers of old birds, their feathers worn and the colours faded, as well as large (locks in
immature plumage, are to be seeu on the southern and caslern coasts. So far as I have been able to ascertain,
but few of this species remain long enough on our shores to assume the winter dress.
The numbers arriving in spring vary considerably ; iu 1S70, though I was on Brevdon mudflats daily for
the greater part of May, I did not meet with a single specimen, while on the same water at least a score were
noticed the following season. In most instances the birds were (lying singly, (hough occasionally in company
u ith small parties of Dunlins and Knots. The first was seen on the 12th, leading about forty Dunlins; and the
flock having settled on a part of the flats to which the punt could not approach within sixty or seventy yards,
the specimen, which proved to be a male in perfect plumage, was secured by a charge from the big gnu. On
the 15th a single bird flew round the boats in answer to the call of the Plover, and on falling to a shot from
the shoulder-gun was discovered to he a female. The colouring was by no means so rich as in the male,
diminutive white markings pervading the feathers (much the same as in the female Sanderling) antl giving
Ot a short distance a mealy appearance to the whole plumage *. Several single birds were noticed during the
day (lying high in the air: though wheeling round in response to the call, they never ventured within range,
and in every instance finally went off, holding a due north-east course. Unless one is well acquainted with
the call, which somewhat resembles that of the Dunlin, only possessing more power and consequently audible
to a far greater distance, many of these birds will escape notice, the elevation at which they fly being, as a
rule, considerably higher than that of the other small Waders. The note of the Grey Plover is the call to
which they usually respond; during spring, however, these Sandpipers are for the most part Wary, seldom
remaining long in one locality, apparently bent on making their passage to the far north. On the Kith a
few Curlew Sandpipers were again seen on wing. I detected two or three dark red birds flying over the
punts, and as many either females or in backward plumage, the distance being too great to identify their
state with any certainty. Though constantly on the water from daylight till mid-day and occasionally till dusk,
none were observed again till the 24th, when a fine red male was found feeding on the muds near the channel
in company with about a dozen Dunlins and a Stint. Busily engaged in searching for food in the ooze, Utile
or no regard was paid to the presence of the punt, only some twenty yards distant. The bird running