150 THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 



two full dressed birds, one shot at Topsham in 

 August, 1877, the other killed in May, 1844. 

 Abnormal varieties of this bird are rare, but Mr. 

 H. Nicholls shot a White Knot on the Kingsbridge 

 estuary, in September, 1865 (Zool. 1866. p. 526). 



RUFF. — Machetes fugnax (Linn). 



An autumn visitant, of somewhat rare occurrence 

 on our coasts in early autumn, though Dr. Elliot, 

 the Rev. M. A. Mathew, Mr. Richards and other 

 naturalists have met with specimens. September is 

 the chief month for its arrival, but Gatcombe 

 records a Reeve killed on Dartmoor as late as 

 October (Zool. 1879. p. 113). The Ruff is seldon 

 observed in Devon on the spring migration : but as 

 long ago as 1806, Montagu obtained a male bird 

 with a white ruff, shot at the mouth of the Avon 

 on the 17th of May. 



SANDERLING.— CftZiV/r/s arenaria (Linn). 



An autumn visitant, of occasional occurrence in 

 winter and in the spring of the year. Dr. Elliot 

 remarks that it is principally found on our coasts in 

 September, but he once found a large flock at 

 Thurlestone on the 21st of May ; The late Mr. 

 Gurney observed a single bird feeding along the 

 margin of Slapton Ley on the 4th of June, 1871. 

 Gatcombe considered the Sanderling to be generally 

 a scarce bird in the Plymouth district, but he 



