WHIMBREL. 277 



pearing chiefly on our shores in spring, autumn, 

 and winter, or more inland, as a casual passenger, 

 during its passage to or from its breeding sta- 

 tions. On the shores of the north of England and 

 south of Scotland, they are commonly to be met 

 with in autumn or winter, in small parties, and 

 are at once betrayed, among a flock of Curlews, by 

 their peculiar note. According to several autho- 

 rities,* they breed in the Orkneys and in some 

 of the Shetland Islands, and they were seen in 

 Sutherlandshire, on the banks of Lochshin, in 

 June, but neither nest nor eggs were discovered. 

 We once shot a pair of Whimbrels on a salt marsh, 

 on the Ross in Kirkcudbrightshire, in June, which 

 appeared as if breeding, though no nest could be 

 found. In Ireland, Mr. Thompson states that it 

 is " a regular spring visitant in passage north- 

 ward, and returns in autumn in much smaller 

 numbers.' 'f In Europe, it is found in the more 

 northern parts. Out of Europe, Temminck giyes 

 India to it, as do also Messrs. Jerdan and Elliot, 

 the latter stating that it is " found everywhere 

 along the sea shore and mouths of large rivers." 

 Mr. Gould states Himalaya as a locality ; and it is 

 probably found in North Africa. 



In the colouring and marking of the plumage, 

 the Whimbrel very closely resembles the Curlew, 

 the upper parts being shades of hair and clove- 

 brown, the feathers margined with white and 



* Dr. Fleming, Salmon, Hewitson. Neil, &c. 

 f Thompson, MSS. 



