SPOTTED REDSHANK. 475 



of frost. Even in the mild climate of Cornwall, and along 

 the south-western coasts of England, it is not abundant, 

 and its irregular visits are chiefly to the eastern counties ; 

 whilst on the western side of England, and in Wales, it is 

 extremely rare at any season. Pennant records a specimen 

 killed in Anglesea ; it has occurred on the coast of Lan- 

 cashire ; and the late Mr. Heyshara obtained it near 

 Carlisle. 



As regards Norfolk, Mr. Stevenson considers that, either 

 from drainage of the fens, persecution by gunners, or some 

 unknown cause, the birds which alight on their autumnal 

 migration are fewer than in former years, whilst, on the 

 other hand, examples are more frequent than formerly on 

 the spring passage, when they exhibit more or less of the 

 dark plumage characteristic of the breeding state. Specimens 

 in the sooty-black garb may sometimes be seen in the 

 London markets, and although it must not of necessity be 

 inferred that they have all been killed in this country, yet 

 Mr. Harting records one obtained in June, 1841, so close to 

 the metropolis as Kingsbury Reservoir. 



It is unnecessary to specify every county in which it has 

 been noticed, for although less rare in the east than else- 

 where, it has occurred as a straggler on inland streams and 

 waters as far as Nottinghamshire. North of the Humber its 

 visits are very irregular ; and in Scotland, although it has 

 been obtained along the east coast as far as Caithness, yet, 

 according to Mr. R. Gray, it has not been known to occur 

 on the west. The same authority states (B. of W. Scot. 

 p. 291) that he finds, from a manuscript note in Messrs. 

 Baikie and Heddle's work, "one was shot by Mr. Strang in 

 Sanday, Orkneys, in September, 1849," but there appears to 

 be no record of its occurrence in the Shetland s. 



To Ireland its visits appear to be very rare, and until 

 recently the bird Thompson says he shot near Belfast, was 

 the only one on record. In the great frost of January, 18G7, 

 however, Mr. R. Warren, of Ballina, shot one in the estuary 

 of the IMoy, which divides Mayo from Sligo, and he again 

 saw and heard, but could not obtain, this species in January, 



