174 British Birds ^ 



CURLEW SANDPIPER— (T^^^Vz^^ subarquata). 



This little bird was till lately considered to be a 

 very rare and occasional visitor. But it is very likely 

 to have been confused with the Dunlin, or other small 

 shore-birds, and is now supposed even to breed 

 occasionally in our country. During autumn it 

 is sometimes seen in small groups or flocks. 

 " M. Temminck says this bird breeds occasionally in 

 Holland, and that the eggs are yellowish-white, spotted 

 with dark brown." 



PURPLE ^K^T>VI?l^'R—{Tri?iga striata ; 

 formerly, T. maritima). 



Selninger Sandpiper, Black Sandpiper. — Not a 

 very numerous species, but by no means infrequent on 

 the British coasts. Very few, however, are seen except 

 in winter and early spring, the far greater part resort- 

 ing to some place far in the north to nest. Still it 

 seems almost certain that a few breed with us in North 

 England and Scotland It lays four eggs of "a 

 yellowish-grey colour, varied with small irregular spots 

 of pale brown, thick at the obtuse end, rarer at the 

 other." 



K^0T—{Tri7iga Canuius). 



Camden says this bird derived its name from the 

 Danish King Knut or Cnut (generally written Canute, 

 but not properly pronounced so), probably because he 

 was very fond of eating them. A very poor piece of 

 etymology I should almost think. It is not uncom- 

 monly met with in autumn on several parts of our 



