KNOT. 631 



maining sometimes as late as tlie beginning of May, and 

 assuming the fine red tints of plumage peculiar to their 

 breeding state before they leave for those northern districts 

 in which they produce their young. Dr. Fleming mentions 

 having shot one in Sanda on the 15th of June 1808; but I 

 am not aware of any record of the Knot breeding in the 

 British Islands, nor do I know of any British collection that 

 contains its eggs. According to M. Nilsson, the Knot in- 

 habits the arctic portions of Sweden and Norway in summer, 

 but no description of the eggs is given. Mr. Dann's notes 

 on this species are as follows : — " Except on the coast of 

 Scona and the southern parts of Scandinavia in spring and 

 autumn, these birds have not been met with by me, nor have 

 its summer haunts in Europe been clearly ascertained ; there 

 is, however, little doubt but that these are in Finland and 

 the north-eastern parts, as the bird seems to make its appear- 

 ance on the eastern coasts of Scandinavia first. It would be 

 interesting to know whether we are indebted to Europe, Ice- 

 land, or North America for the vast numbers that appear on 

 the eastern coasts of England in autumn." 



The Knot visits Iceland and goes to much higher northern 

 latitudes every summer, as reference to the Natural History 

 details of the various Arctic Expeditions from this country 

 will prove. Captain Sabine in his Memoir on the Birds of 

 Greenland, says, " The Knot was killed at Hare Island in 

 June." On Sir Edward Parry*'s first voyage these birds were 

 found breeding in great abundance on the north Georgian 

 Islands ; and on the second voyage a young male of the year 

 was killed in the Duke of York's Bay on the 17th of August. 

 Dr. Richardson adds, " Knots were observed breeding on 

 Melville Peninsula by Captain Lyon, who tells us that they 

 lay four eggs on a tuft of withered grass, without being at 

 the pains of forming any nest." In the Fauna Boreali Ame- 

 ricana, Dr. Richardson says the Knot breeds in Hudson's 



