CHARADRIID^. 



629 



THE WHIMBREL. 



Nu:menius ph.-eopus (Linnaeus). 



The AVhimbrel sometimes makes its appearance on our shores in 

 the early part of April, but the main body of migrants northward 

 arrive in May, with a regularity which has procured for this species 

 the name of " May-bird " in Cornwall, Hants, Norfolk and other 

 counties. A small number of non-breeders remain on our coasts 

 during the summer, while by the latter part of July the return 

 passage sets in and continues through the autumn ; at the latter 

 season, however, the birds usually fly very high, and few are met 

 with after the end of September, though a laggard has been shot in 

 December. None are known to breed on the mainland of Scotland, 

 but a small number nest on some of the Orkneys and a good many 

 do so on several of the Shetlands ; while a pair or two inhabit 

 North Rona in the Outer Hebrides, and the other islands of that 

 group are visited in spring. In Ireland the Whimbrel occurs on 

 the west coast in winter (Irby), and is abundant on the inland bogs 

 during the spring migration, but it has never been known to breed. 



As a wanderer this species has occurred on Jan Mayen, and often 



