WOOD SANDPIPER. 465 



it is rare, but a small flock alighted near Redcar in August, 

 1881. It is similarly a rare spring and autumn migrant to 

 Durham and Northumberland, but in the latter county Mr. 

 John Hancock detected it breeding in the now drained Prest- 

 wick Car, where, on the 3rd of June, 1853, the nest and eggs 

 were taken after long and persevering watch, the adult male 

 being shot at the same time. This is the only occasion on 

 which the breeding of this species in England has been 

 authenticated, but it appears probable that it has nested in 

 the above locality in other years. 



In Scotland, according to Mr. R. Gray, the Wood Sand- 

 piper has been obtained in Mid-Lothian, Aberdeenshire, 

 and Caithness ; and Mr. F. Bond has received well-authen- 

 ticated eggs taken near Elgin ; but on the west coast, one 

 shot on the banks of the Clyde in the autumn of 1853, now 

 in Mr. Gray's collection, is the only occurrence of which he 

 is aware. As before stated, there is no satisfactory evidence 

 that this species has ever visited Ireland. 



The Wood Sandpiper has occurred in the Fseroes, and it 

 breeds in the interior of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, 

 Poland, Northern Germany, Denmark, and Holland, where 

 the localities are suitable. Throughout the rest of Europe 

 it is principally known as a bird of more or less regular 

 passage ; but the Editor shot an incubating female on the 

 edge of a marsh near Aranjuez in Spain, on the 28th of 

 May, 1870 ; and it probably breeds in Bohemia, and un- 

 doubtedly does so in Southern Russia. Its winter quarters 

 commence at the Mediterranean and extend throughout 

 Northern Africa down to Damara Land, the Cape, and 

 Natal. Asia Minor, Persia, India, Ceylon, and Burmah 

 are also visited by considerable numbers during the cold 

 season, and it occurs more sparingly in the Philippines, and 

 in the islands of the Eastern Archipelago. Dr. Severtzoff 

 says that it breeds in Turkestan ; and, to the north of the 

 great Asian range, it appears to be found right across the 

 continent to China, Japan, and the Kuril Islands, going as 

 far north as Kamtschatka, and the Boganida in 70'^ N. lat., 

 where Middcndorlf found it breeding. 



VOL. III. 3 o 



