GODWITS, SANDPIPERS, AND PLOVERS 401 



I cannot but conclude that both Selby in Northum- 

 berland {Illus. Brit. Orn., ii., p. 96). and Gray in his 

 Birds of the West of Scotland, had mistaken the species 

 when describing - this godwit as occurring in winter, or 

 as being plentiful at any season. 



Knot. — In the early days of August, a few adults, in 

 faded red plumage, appear on this coast, preceding the 

 young birds, which do not show up in mass till the latter 

 part of the month. These young knots, from their first 



Group of Small Waders. 



arrival in August until their moult into winter-dress in 

 October, are richly coloured with warm buff on the breast, 

 but including also the scapulars and tertials. This species 

 in thousands spends the winter here, however severe, asso- 

 ciating with the godwits ; but is never seen in spring in 

 its red summer-dress, as regularly observed on its passage 

 along the south and south-east coasts. Though knots 

 linger on this coast until April and even May, yet all 

 these retain the grey winter-dress up to the final date of 

 departure. 



Curlew-Sandpiper. — Towards the end of August a 

 few appear, and often in September the species is 

 abundant : but all have passed away south before the 

 end of the month. They occur at no other season, 



2c 



