644 SCOLOPACID.E. 



quoted as within the geographical range of tliis little bird, it 

 is probable that it seldom comes so far to the westward as 

 the British Islands, when on its way in the spring to the 

 high northern latitudes in which a portion of them every year 

 produce their young. One specimen was obtained by the 

 Naturalists on Sir Edward Parry ""s second Arctic voyage. 

 M. Nilsson says it is found in Sweden from spring to au- 

 tumn. Mr. Dann's note, as communicated to me, is as fol- 

 lows : The Little Stint is by no means common, and the 

 only specimens I have met with have been in the autumn, in 

 the flooded grounds on the banks of rivers and lakes. On 

 being approached they squat down and allow you to advance 

 Avithin a few feet of them. According to Mr. W. Thompson 

 a small number are seen every autumn in Belfast Bay. Mr. 

 Heysham has several times recorded the appearance of old 

 and young birds in autumn, in the vicinity of the Solway. 

 Mr. Thomas Howitt sent me notice of the occurrence of this 

 bird in the western part of Lancashire. The Rev. W. S. 

 Hore, with his friend Mr. Gutch, saw from forty to fifty ex- 

 amples on the Laira mud banks near Plymouth, in October 

 1840, and shot ten or twelve of them. They are frequently 

 observed on the sands of the coast of Sussex. I have ob- 

 tained them in the London market, once in the summer 

 plumage, once in that peculiar to the winter, but more fre- 

 quently in autumn. Mr. Plomley sent me word from Rom- 

 ney Marsh, that a flock of thirty was seen there in October 

 1839. They are frequent on the coasts of Suffolk, Norfolk, 

 Yorkshire, and Durham, in the autumn : Bewick"'s specimen 

 was obtained in September ; but they are not so often killed 

 in the more northern counties. They are most frequently 

 found on the sandy shores of the sea, and generally in com- 

 pany with the Dunlin or the Sanderling, or both, as they fly 

 in small, and sometimes in large flocks together. They se- 

 lect for food aquatic insect's, small Crustacea, worms, and mol- 



