KNOT. 355 



Newcome has one in winter plumage, killed in Hock- 

 wold Fen. In the cold backward spring of 1864, they 

 were also plentiful at Yarmouth, but singularly enough 

 in May, 1866, when the bar-tailed godwits, in fine sum- 

 mer plumage, were so numerous on Breydon, scarcely 

 any knots were seen. In 1857, Mr. Dowell saw three 

 at Blakeney, in company with dunlins, on the 27th of 

 April, which still retained their full winter dress. A few 

 stragglers of this species, as of sanderlings and other 

 shore birds that never breed in Norfolk, may be met 

 with occasionally throughout the summer months, as 

 I have known specimens procured both in June and 

 July ; and in the second week of June, 1863, 1 saw one 

 at Hunstanton, with a small flock of dunlins. 



Inspite of the high northern latitudes to which 

 these birds betake themselves for breeding purposes, 

 and their late stay on our shores, the return passage is 

 commenced very early in autumn. By the 9th of 

 August Mr. Dowell has observed both young and old 

 in Blakeney harbour, and I have known the young 

 birds of the year killed at Yarmouth on the 16th; 

 the time of their arrival, however, varies much in 

 different seasons. From Mr. Dowell's notes, I find that 

 in 1846 they began to arrive at Blakeney about the 

 20th of September, but in 1847 scarcely a bird had 

 been seen before the 5th of November. On the 9th of 

 September, 1848, he shot twenty-eight, and might 

 have killed many more, as they made their appearance 

 in small flocks of from five to twenty, and were very 

 tame. In 1850 very few were seen in the harbour at 

 Blakeney until the first week of December, " when 

 flocks of many thousands appeared on the west sands." 

 Again in August, 1853, towards the end of the month, 

 they were very numerous in lots of from five to a 

 hundred. The first flights are described by Mr. Dowell 

 as by no means difficult of approach, " but as the season 

 2z 2 



