258 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



were elicited, and I cannot now ascertain Crane's where- 

 abouts. 



Under the date of August 7th, 1854, Mr. J. Cavafy writes 

 to the " NaturaHst " to say that Mr. Swaysland had shown 

 him, among other rare birds killed at Brighton, "several 

 Spotted Sandpipers." Brighton is noted for rare birds, but 

 if the above were really procured there, it is singular that 

 we should have heard no more of them, and accordingly I 

 think we may take it as pretty certain that there was some 

 mistake which further enquiries or a more critical examina- 

 tion revealed. In the case of another which I saw at 

 Mr. Swaysland's shop in 1871, I am now satisfied that there 

 was a mistake. He said — doubtless in perfect good faith — 

 that it was killed between Worthing and Little Hampton 

 by a Mr. Gringer, whose letter he showed me as proof He 

 had bought it of Mrs. Wells, the widow of the late trust- 

 worthy and intelligent birdstufifer at Worthing, and with her 

 I had some correspondence on the subject, the result of 

 which was to leave no doubt on my mind that a mistake 

 had been committed by somebody. 



I have further to name another pair [marked " Sussex " 

 in the sale catalogue of the collection of Mr. Byne of 

 Milligan Hall, near Taunton, and I think I remember that 

 gentleman showing them to me, and saying they came from 

 the birdstufifer at Brighton. I have not the least doubt that 

 here also there was some mistake, though after a lapse of 

 several years it becomes not easy to ferret it out. 



In Mr. Ecroyd Smith's " Notabilia of the Mersey Dis- 

 trict," Mr. C. S. Gregson says (p. 51) : — 



" Edwin Lord, of Warrington, shot two specimens on the Mersey 

 below that town in May, 1863, one of which I possess." 



I have been obliged by a photograph of this bird. There 

 is no mistake about it. And Mr. G. vouches for its authen- 

 ticity to me, in a letter, in the following words : — 



