CONTRIBUTIONS TO A FAUNA OF SHETLAND 23 



scarce as compared with the previous season, and all obtained 

 up to end of October — with the exception of Jacks and perhaps 

 two or three Full Snipe — were home-bred birds. We shot one 

 day on Mousa with Mr. George Bruce, but nine Snipe, two 

 Jacks, and two Water Rails composed our joint bag. Further 

 north, on Bressay and in Lerwick district, we heard, however, of 

 bags of ten and a half couple (W. Weber), and fifteen and a half 

 couple (Captain Furlonger) ; and Captain Furlonger in Fetlar 

 added in all ninety-six to his score in 1892 to date. It was a 

 bad migration season. Snipe which are constantly talked of as 

 weighing seven and a half to eight ounces, and as " foreign 

 birds," can hardly prove to be other than Great Snipe. During 

 our stay in Shetland in 1892, some three or four Snipe we shot 

 were of the russet variety ; and we brought home skins of both 

 varieties : the dark, boldly-marked birds, usually looked upon as 

 home-bred, and the russet, richly vermiculated variety, usually 

 considered to be of foreign origin. 



Jack Snipe {GaHinago gallinuld). — A sprinkling in the marshes in 

 189T, and quite a number in 1892 — for a few days only — the 

 earliest seen on 28th September, and two shot next day. But 

 most seen about 6th October to 10th : a few remained longer. 



Sanderling {Calidris are?iarid).—l\x. A. Forrester shot one, — the 

 only one seen, — 27th September 1892, on the shore of Quendale 

 Bay. 



Dunlin (Tringa alpind). — Four were seen and two shot on the 

 shore of Loch Hillwill on 6th October 1892 by Mr. A. Forrester ; 

 and three more were seen on Loch Spiggie a day or two after- 

 wards. None were observed in 1891. 



Purpi.i: Sandpiper (Tringa striata). — Only two observed at Garth 

 Banks in 1891. One only shot by Mr. A. Forrester on 

 29th September 1892 at same place. 



Redshank (Totanus calidris). — Not observed very commonly in 

 [891. But many seen along the rocky shores of Quendale Bay 

 on both sides of the sand in 1892 — probably all migrants. 



Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponicd). — First identified by loose 

 feathers picked up at Loch Hillwell. Saw several afterwards at 

 VirkieVoe in October 1891, and also at the same place in 1892 : 

 but not by any humus abundant. 



Curlew (JVumenius aquata). — A flock of about fifteen to twenty 

 persistently frequented the Quendale Links and shore both in 

 [.891 and [892 l always most unapproachable. A large flock 

 on A'irkie Voe, and around Sumburgh. 



Whimbrel (Numtnius phoeopus). — Not many seen. None in ^891. 



A tew in 1892, as late as 3rd October. 



