on the EdJysfone. 361 



try fresh areas near at hand ; often, however, to return in a 

 fc^ moments to spots which they had just previously quitted. 

 While thus engaged they frequently approached the edge of 

 the reefs and did not seem to mind the buffeting they en- 

 countered amid the broken water ; now and then a shower 

 of spray would cause them to rise on the wing, but, nothing 

 daunted, they alighted again as soon as tlie disturbing 

 element had passed. 



On September 29th a small flock of Ringed Plovers passed 

 the lighthouse flying rapidly due south, and evidently bent 

 on crossing the Channel. 



The Purple Sandpiper visits the reefs in the late autumn 

 and winter to search for food during low water, returning to 

 the mainland at high tide, when its haunts are submerged. 

 The first bird of the season arrived on the 11th of October, 

 and as many as four were seen from that date onwards. A 

 single Turnstone was observed on the rocks on September 

 30th — an immature specimen. 



A number of migratory marine birds also came under 

 observation. Foremost among these in point of rarity was 

 an examj)le of Sabine^s Gull, seen near the tower on the 

 morning of September 29th. This bird was in an interesting 

 stage of plumage, being an adult assuming winter dress. It 

 was most accommodating in its behaviour, since it frequently 

 rose and displayed its deeply forked and entirely white 

 tail, and those conspicuous bands of white which cross the 

 pinions — features which render this species both remarkable 

 and unmistakable when on the wing. It sat on the water 

 more buoyantly than the other Gulls around it, and was 

 in general more elegant in form than any of them. 



The next species deserving mention is the Sooty Shearwater 

 {Pvffinus griseus) , described in the ' Birds of Devonshire'' as 

 "a very rare accidental visitor" to that county. I saw single 

 examples on September 23rd, and on October 12th (two), 

 14th, and 19th, the last day being that of my departure. It 

 is possible that this bird was not very uncommon just beyond 

 the range of identification, where the shoals of Pilchards 

 were frequent and proved a great attraction to various other 



