404 SCOLOPACID/E. 



the central line of the rump and upper tail-coverts are of 

 the same colour as those of the back. In the summer 

 plumage, and in the various vernal and autumnal changes in 

 both, the differences are very obvious, the present bird chang- 

 ing to red underneath, and the Dunlin to black. 



Owing to the perfect breeding-plumage in which the 

 Curlew Sandpiper is sometimes obtained, it has been erro- 

 neously supposed to have nested in the British Islands. 

 It is, however, absent for only a short time. The Author 

 obtained this bird in June, in the height of its summer 

 plumage, from Norfolk, and had seen the young from the 

 same locality early in July. The late Mr. Heysham, of 

 Carlisle, also recorded the occurrence of a very beautiful 

 male in nearly complete summer plumage, which was met 

 with on Rockcliffe salt-marsh on the 27th of May, 1833. 

 Some passed over Heligoland by the 4th July, 1880, and 

 Mr. Cordeaux obtained two in summer plumage on the Spurn, 

 on the 21st of that month. The principal arrivals, however, 

 take place in August and September, the majority of the 

 visitors being birds of the year, with buff- coloured breasts. 

 Their numbers are extremely variable : in some years, as in 

 1873 and 1881, the species is very abundant, at other times 

 less so ; but it may be considered as a regular visitor to those 

 portions of the coasts of Great Britain, from Shetland to 

 Cornwall, which are suitable to its habits. Such localities 

 are especially presented by the estuaries of the east coast of 

 Scotland, the shores of Northumberland, the mouth of the 

 Humber, the tidal waters of East Anglia, and the creeks of 

 the flat portions of Kent, Sussex, Hants, and Dorset. It is, 

 however, by no means confined to these, but may be noticed 

 along the entire coast, and it is occasionally found inland, 

 even in the central county of Nottingham, where large rivers 

 and broad expanses of water tempt it to alight. It rarely, 

 how r ever, prolongs its stay beyond the latter part of October, 

 but continues its course southwards. In Ireland, to which 

 it is also a regular autumnal visitor, it has been known to 

 remain in the southern counties until November, and even 

 December. 



