THE BIRDS OF ST KILDA 233 



In 191 1 it occurred at intervals between i6th 

 September and iith October, with considerable arrivals 

 on 4th and 6th October. 



Tringa alpina, Dunlin. — MacGillivray (p. 58), in 

 July 1840, saw "several pairs on the hillside, where they 

 doubtless had young." On 14th June 1902, Wiglesworth 

 (p. 41) saw four in full breeding plumage in Village 

 Bay, and remarks that it ''possibly breeds." 



Only a single bird came under my notice in 19 10. 

 This was seen in company with Sanderlings, on the strip 

 of sandy beach below the village on 2nd September. 

 In 191 1 a single bird was present from 5th to 9th 

 September, and two were seen on the loth. This 

 common and ubiquitous wader seems to be a i^ara avis 

 at St Kilda. 



'^'Tringa bairdi, Baird's Sandpiper. — On 28th 

 September 191 1, a small wader was observed in a pool 

 on the rocks fringing the bay. It was shot on the 

 suspicion that it was something uncommon, and proved 

 to be an adult female of this North American bird 

 in full winter plumage. This species had only on two 

 previous occasions been known to visit the British 

 Isles, but had not before been detected in Scotland. 

 Baird's Sandpiper breeds on the Arctic coast of 

 America from Bering Strait to the northern shores 

 of Hudson Bay, and winters in Chili, Argentina, 

 and Patagonia. 



^ Tringa canutus, Knot, — The wing and other 

 remains of a bird of the year, which had been captured 

 by a cat on loth September 19 10, were brought to me 

 for identification, and were the first evidence obtained of 

 the occurrence of this species at St Kilda. 



In 191 1 single birds were seen on the rocks fringing 



