PURPLE SANDPIPER. 409 



to fly, and it has been suspected of having bred there (antea, 

 p. 290). On the 27th May, Major Feilden shot four specimens 

 in Berneray and Mingalay, in the Hebrides, all females, one 

 of which showed some abrasion of the belly and breast 

 feathers, from which it was inferred that it had been sitting 

 on eggs, and the ovaries of the birds were found to be much 

 distended, although no mature eggs were found in them. 

 Adult birds have been observed in many other localities 

 late in May, and Saxby says that in Shetland he has had 

 eggs brought to him exactly resembling authentic ones, 

 but identified eggs taken in the British Islands are as yet 

 unknown to the Editor. 



The Purple Sandpiper is, however, more commonly 

 observed in winter, when it may be seen busily employed 

 turning over stones and searching among seaweed for the 

 smaller shrimps and sandhoppers which are to be found 

 there, and it also feeds on young crabs, marine insects, and 

 the soft bodies of animals inhabiting small shells. Saxby 

 says that flocks rarely consist of more than a dozen or fifteen 

 individuals, and they frequently escape observation from the 

 land owing to their habit of keeping on the seaward side 

 of the rocks, or even sitting on the half- submerged fronds 

 of the larger seaweeds. It may be seen on the strand 

 during a gale, following up each retiring wave and nimbly 

 avoiding the returning one, or clinging to the rock with its 

 feet whilst half buried in the bursting spray. It is, however, 

 an excellent swimmer, and in calm weather has been seen to 

 voluntarily take to the water ; it has even been stated that 

 it dives for pleasure ; but this Saxby doubts, saying that he 

 has only known it do so when wounded and closely pursued. 



The Purple Sandpiper is so generally distributed along 

 the coasts of Great Britain that it would be needless to 

 specify the counties in which it has been observed ; and 

 it has been known to straggle so far inland as to Dereham 

 in Norfolk ; and once, in summer, to Wilford Ferry, on the 

 Trent. On the shores of Ireland, in winter and up to the 

 latter part of May, it is abundant in suitable localities. 



It breeds in considerable numbers no farther off than 



VOL. III. 3 G 



