130 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



sand dunes were quite a considerable walk from the 

 town, the old gunners yearly expected, and often 

 fell in with, the Land Dotterel (Eudromias morinettus), 

 which was quite a usual spring immigrant. " Billy " 

 Sampson, a gunner who frequented this locality 

 until the early 'seventies, several times met with 

 them in small flocks, the largest number he ever 

 saw together being twelve. The colours of the 

 bird, when squat and immovable, are so similar 

 to its surroundings that when the eye is once off it 

 it is singularly difficult to locate it again. The 

 bird is very simple and easily stalked. Sampson 

 affirmed that one only needed to get within range, 

 and keep rounding them up, and most of a flock 

 might be secured. He once shot three out of 

 four in this manner, the fourth taking to wing 

 whilst he was loading his old muzzle-gun. 



THE WIND AND MIGRANTS 



The direction pursued by birds on their migra- 

 torial trips is considerably affected by the winds pre- 

 valent at the time, as well as by the force of the 

 same. There can be no doubt that with a continuity 

 of strong westerly winds in October the east side 



