A HISTORY OF CORNWALL 



abundant at Scilly ; a nest with four eggs found at 

 Callington in 1853 ; a solitary bird seen at Stratton 

 early in August, 1890, and another about the same 

 time of the year near Penzance in 1 900, probably 

 both birds of the year ; one seen at Clowance 24 June, 

 1905. An unusual flight occurred at Scilly at the end 

 of January, 1 88 1, and nearly fifty couples were killed: 



228. Great Snipe. Gallinago major (J. F. Gmelin). 

 A casual autumn visitor to the drier snipe moors of 



the county, of which between thirty and forty 

 examples have been found and recorded. Two speci- 

 mens have been obtained at Scilly, one by David 

 Smith on Great Ganilly in January, 1877, and the 

 other almost at the same time, but the record has been 

 lost. 



229. Common Snipe. Galfinago coekstu (Frenzel). 

 Resident ; breeding locally in favourable situations 



throughout the county, but not so common as 

 formerly ; far more abundant as a winter visitor ; 

 usually very common in the winter at Scilly, but docs 

 not breed there. The very dark form known as 

 Sabine's snipe has been frequently obtained. 



230. Jack-Snipe. Gal&nago gallinula (Linn.). 



A winter visitor, generally distributed through the 

 wet moorlands of the county, including Scilly ; as a 

 rule not half so abundant as full snipe. 



231. Pectoral Sandpiper. Tringa maculata, Vieillot. 



An accidental straggler, of which eight examples 

 have been obtained at Scilly, and one, in the early 

 forties, at Falmouth. 



232. Bonaparte's Sandpiper. Tringa Juscicollis, 



Vieillot. 



An accidental straggler from North America, of 

 which two were shot near Hayle in 1 846, one at Scilly 



11 October, 1854, another 10 October, 1870, at 

 St. Mary's, and one at the Lizard a few days later. 



233. Dunlin. Tringa alpina, Linn. 



Locally, Sand Lark. Sea-lark, Purre (in winter 



plumage). 



Resident ; breeding in small numbers in the large 

 marshes around Brown Willy, and on the moors and 

 turf-pits south of Jamaica Inn, and irregularly else- 

 where. Large flocks of immigrant birds frequent the 

 beaches and estuaries of the county the whole year 

 round, but especially in winter. Common at Scilly 

 during the winter in flocks with other small shore 

 birds. Has been noticed there in May, but does not 

 breed. 



234. Little Stint. Tringa minuta, Leisler. 



An occasional visitor on spring and autumn migra- 

 tion to marshes and pools by the sea in the west of 

 the county. Swanpool, Falmouth, is the favourite 

 resting place, but it has occurred several times at 

 Hayle and at Marazion Marsh ; most recent record 



12 October, 1903, between Hayle and St. Erth. 

 Two examples were obtained at Scilly 19 September, 

 1857. They were identified first as Temminck's 

 stint. 



235. American Stint. Tringa minutilla, Vieillot. 



An accidental straggler shot on Marazion Marsh in 

 October, 1853, and near Penzance in September, 

 1890. 



236. Temminck's Stint. Tringa Temmincki, Leisler. 

 A casual visitor in autumn at Marazion Marsh and 



St. Mary's, Scilly ; one specimen near Devoran, 

 October, 1 899 ; recorded altogether over a dozen 

 times. 



237. Curlew Sandpiper. Tringa subarjuata (Gulden- 



stadt). 



A not infrequent casual visitor on autumn migra- 

 tion to our flat beaches from the mouth of the Fowey 

 river round to Newquay and at Scilly ; rarely seen at 

 the Lizard. 



238. Purple Sandpiper. Tringa striata, Lmn. 



A fairly regular winter visitor to the south coast 

 and Scilly, often seen outside Falmouth harbour and 

 at Mount's Bay ; occasionally obtained at Looe, and 

 frequently seen at Hayle. It generally leaves Scilly 

 by the beginning of April, but a flock visited Annett 

 in May, 1877. 



239. Knot. Tringa canutus, Linn. 



A passing visitor to our southern beaches, common 

 in autumn, but usually scarce in spring. The first 

 flocks arrive by the middle of August, sometimes 

 earlier, and often linger for several weeks ; well 

 known at Scilly. 



240. Sanderling. Calidris arenaria (Linn.). 



A passing visitor, sometimes in large flocks in 

 spring and autumn, often remaining in small parties 

 throughout the winter. In the west a few may be 

 occasionally seen on the beaches during the summer ; 

 a common winter visitor at Scilly. 



241. Ruff. Machetes fugnax (Linn.). 



A casual visitor during autumn migration occurring 

 at intervals, and, as a rule, singly from Falmouth to 

 Scilly ; one killed on the Davidstowe Moors about 

 1891 ; no specimen with the 'ruff' ever obtained 

 in the county. Three specimens obtained at Scilly, 

 one by Jenkinson in the autumn of 1864, one 

 2 September, 1878, on the Pool, at Tresco, and 

 another by Jenkinson in March, 1885. 



242. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Tryngites rufescens 



(Vieillot). 



An accidental straggler, obtained thrice in the 

 county, once on the flat sands between Marazion and 

 Penzance in September, 1846 ; once near Chun 

 Castle, Morvah, in September, 1860 ; and once by 

 Pechell at Bryher, Scilly, 16 September, 1870. 



243. Bartram's Sandpiper. Bartramia kngicauda 



(Bechstein). 



An accidental straggler, obtained near Mullion, 

 November, 1865 ; at St. Keverne, in October, 1883, 

 and in the Lizard district in October, 1903. 



244. Common Sandpiper. Tetanus hypoleucus (Linn.). 



Locally, Summer Snipe. 



Resident, but commoner as a passing visitor in 

 spring and autumn ; breeds in sandheaps by abandoned 

 stream works on the moors, and by the side of streams 

 and freshwater pools throughout the county ; leaves 

 its breeding stations in July and August, and slowly 

 makes its way to the coast. An irregular passing 

 visitor to Scilly in early autumn. 



344 



