THE PURRE OR DUNLIN. 



Tringa varialilis. 

 PLATE XVII. 



Tringa alpina, variabilis of authors. Pelinda variabilis, 



Stephens Tringa cinclus, Linn, (in winter plumage.) . 



Purre, Dunlin, or Stint of British authors. 



THIS beautiful, and by far the most abundant of the 

 British Sandpipers or Tringce, is very equally and 

 numerously distributed along all our sea shores, from 

 the most northern islands to the southern coast of 

 England. During winter, the shores and banks of 

 the sea and estuaries are only frequented by them ; 

 they return there after the season of incubation is 

 completed, and congregate sometimes in small par- 

 ties, at others in almost innumerable flocks, accord- 

 ing to circumstances, following and feeding after 

 the retiring tide with the greatest activity, along 

 all the margins of the waters where a soft food may 

 be found, and delighting in those oozy flats of soft 

 sand or mud, which cover many acres in extent 

 upon much of the low lying shores of our islands. 

 During the full tide they rest, and may be found 

 perched on some rock that stands above the waters, 

 or huddled together on the beach, inactive, until the 

 tide has commenced to recede. In spring they dis- 



