ON THE AVIFAUNA OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES 13 



PURPLE SANDPIPER (Tri/iga maritima), p. 132. Though we 

 have nothing new to relate about this species in the west, I wish 

 to draw attention to the statement in the latest edition of " Harting's 

 Handbook " regarding its occurrences in Mingulay, as observed 

 there by Feilden and myself. Harting says : " They were not, how- 

 ever, in full summer plumage." I think I am safe to say, even at 

 this remote period lapse of time and loss of collections, etc. that 

 if not in full summer plumage, at least they were very far advanced 

 towards that stage ; and there could scarcely be any doubt regarding 

 the denuded state of the feathers of the breasts of two of them, 

 and the evident hatching spots displayed. I do not wish to insist 

 that they were breeding, but only to draw attention to our more 

 exact observations as originally given. 



By the courtesy of my friend Mr. Thomas Southwell of Norwich, 

 I have received some notes taken in N. Uist and elsewhere by the 

 late Mr. Daniel Catlin Burlingham, of King's Lynn, 1 in which occurs 

 the passage under date of June 12, 1848: "I found nest of the 

 bird supposed to be Purple Sandpiper, and heard its peculiar note 

 ... no eggs in it." But very slight importance can attach to this 

 note, as it appears from the context that the observations were made 

 at or near the level of Loch Scatavagh, N. Uist. I give it, however, 

 for what it is worth. 



KNOT (Tringa canutus), p. 133. Curiously this species, so 

 abundant on our east coasts and on our mainland shores, is decidedly 

 scarce at the present time in the Outer Hebrides. Dr. M'Rury 

 marks his "first seen" on August 31, 1892, when he shot "two out 

 of a few" ; and at the same place he again saw about one dozen on 

 January 26, 1893. In July 1899 Mr. W. L. MacGillivray shot one 

 in summer plumage. He adds to the record that he " never saw 

 one in summer since ; but a small flock has appeared on a certain 

 sand at Eoligary every winter and spring for some years back." 



SANDERLING (Calidris arenaria], p. 134. In addition to our 

 remarks in our previous account, I desire to add that Mr. W. L. 

 MacGillivray records having shot one in May 1897 on the sands 

 of Barra, and he adds : " Regular visitors in winter and spring. I 

 never saw them here later than May." 



RUFF (Machetes pugnax), p. 254. One, Benbecula, by Dr. 

 M'Rury, August 18, 1888 (" Fauna of the Outer Hebrides," Appendix 

 D, p. 254); a second in Lewis ("Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist." vol. ii. 

 p. 46) ; and a third seen by Dr. M'Rury in Benbecula on October 

 9, 1892. 



To the records of Ruffs and Reeves found in our " Appendix to 

 Fauna of the Outer Hebrides," p. 254, Mr. Radclyffe Waters adds as 



1 See Obituary Notice in " Transactions " of Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' 

 Society for 1891-92. 



