BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 137 



the exception of a few small parties, they forsake the 

 district. Such was the case towards the close of the 

 severe winter of 1870-71, and the mild winter of 

 1871-72, when, from about the beginning of February 

 to the end of March, Dunlins, along with other waders, 

 were almost entirely absent from the flats. There 

 are invariably large arrivals early in August, coming 

 at the same time as the Kinged Plover, with which 

 they associate, resorting with them to the fallows and 

 summer-eaten clover-fields, and less commonly to the 

 coast. 



I have long been of opinion that we have two races 

 or varieties of Dunlin in this district* the one ex- 

 tremely numerous, coming in immense migratory 

 flocks from the north, and feeding on the "muds," 

 retiring at high water to lands adjoining ; the other 

 variety, or race, is scarce, and frequents almost 

 exclusively the muddy borders of our large marsh- 

 drains f- These latter differ very considerably in 

 their habits from the coast Dunlin, and are always 

 remarkable for their great tameness, and in this 

 alone exhibit a singular contrast to the wild and shy 

 coast Dunlin. For the guidance of future observers 



* See Mr. Stevenson's paper on the Dunlin, ' Birds of Nor- 

 folk/ vol. ii. p. 382. 



t Some of our gunners are familiar with these little drain 

 Dunlins, and consider them a race of local birds to be found 

 throughout the season on the drains near the coast, and differ- 

 ing from the northern Stints which visit the mud flats in such 

 enormous flocks in the autumn. 



