666 SCOLOPACID.E. 



not go to any great distance, and that a few pairs may even 

 produce their young on the British Islands, seems certain. 

 Tlie old birds, as in the instance of the Turnstone, are ob- 

 served in some cases to be absent but a very short time from 

 their usual haunts on the coast ; young birds returning with 

 them, or following soon after. On the Farn islands, on one 

 occasion, Mr. Selby met with a family of this species, the young 

 of which were scarcely ably to fly ; and at the sale in London 

 of Mr. BullocFs large collection of subjects in Natural His- 

 tory in 1817, one interesting lot to the British Ornithologist 

 was, the old bird with the nest and eggs of this Sandpiper 

 taken in Scotland.* It is, however, more commonly con- 

 sidered as only a winter visiter, and is seen busily employed 

 turning over stones and searching among sea-weed for the 

 smaller shrimps and sandhoppers which are to be found there, 

 and this bird feeds besides on young crabs, marine insects, 

 and the soft bodies of animals inhabiting small shells. Pur- 

 ple Sandpipers are sometimes to be seen in company with 

 Dunlins and Sanderlings, but more frequently alone, or in 

 very small parties of their own species only. 



It visits Ireland in winter, but is considered rare ; has 

 been killed on the coast both of North and South Wales ; 

 is more common in Cornwall, where, Mr. Rodd sends me 

 word it has been killed in summer as well as in winter. 

 Various authorities mention it as appearing constantly in 

 winter on the shores of Devonshire, Dorsetshire, Sussex, 

 Kent, Essex, Norfolk, Yorkshire, and Durham. Mr. Dunn 

 says, " The Purple Sandpiper is very numerous in Orkney 

 and Shetland, appearing early in spring, and leaving again at 

 the latter end of April, about which time it collects in large 

 flocks, and may be found on the rocks at ebb-tide, watching 

 each retiring wave, running down as the water falls back, 

 picking small shell-fish off the stones, and displaying great 



* rrintcd Catalogue, p. 128, 



