226 On the Occurrence of some of the Rarer Species #/" Birds 



flight as to render ineffectual the one or two shots I poured in upon 

 them from a long distance off. So engrossed was I in my pursuit, 

 that I quite forgot my time and reckoning, and all of a sudden 

 noticing a difference in the appearance of some sand hanks, I looked 

 round, and to my dismay found that the tide had been coming in in 

 strides, every wave covering three or four yards of fresh ground, 

 and quickly threatening to cut off my escape to my companions. 

 These I descried some half-mile off, waving their hats and shouting 

 lustily to attract my attention, as they had already got the boat 

 afloat again, and were all in it. Putting my best leg forward I ran 

 at the best pace I could muster, and managed to reach the boat just 

 in time, having, however, to wade knee-deep to get into it. Our 

 bag, though not heavy, was a varied one, consisting of Whimbrel, 

 Grey Plover, Oyster Catcher, Sanderling, Ringed Dotterel, Dunlin, 

 Turnstone, and the one Curlew, which, however, we lost ; and the 

 pair of Whimbrel now in my collection constantly recall this, one 

 of the pleasantest reminiscences of the time of my first curacy in 

 Somerset. 



Totamis Fiiscus. " Spotted Redshank.''' At once to be distin- 

 guished from others of its tribe by its long slender legs. By no 

 means common, although they have been occasionally met with in 

 Christchurch Harbour. One was shot there by a gunner named 

 Caines, on September 6th, 1875, and another on September 8th, 

 1877, by Hart himself; while other nice specimens in transition 

 plumage were also killed by Hart at the mouth of the sand-bar in 

 1881. I see a notice in the Field for last month (November, 1883,) 

 of one killed out of a flock of seven in Norfolk. 



Totamis Calidris. " Redshank." Not uncommon on our sea 

 coasts and suitable localities. It is a very pretty bird, able to be 

 detected at once from its congeners by the predominant white of its 

 feathering, and its long red slender legs. It runs very daintily on 

 the tops of its toes, scarcely touching the ground with the ball of 

 its foot. You can also detect it amongst others by its peculiar 

 manner of alighting on the ground, always turning up its wings, 

 and showing the white under surface, as you sometimes see the 

 Green Plover doing on a fallow. I noticed a great quantity of these 



