BIRDS. 203 



at a shot from a small flock of five, near Stromness. In 1864 

 or thereabouts, Mr. Watt shot three "Silver Plovers" 1 near 

 the loch of Skaill, which were possibly Grey Plovers. Mr. 

 Cameron, late of Burgar, had one in his possession which he had 

 shot in September 1888, at Deer Sound. Other instances we 

 might quote, but they only go to show that the Grey Plover is 

 a scarce autumn migrant to these islands, rarely, so far as we 

 know, remaining the winter there, and only appearing in very 

 small numbers when it does occur. 



Since writing the foregoing, Mr. Monteith-Ogilvie writes us 

 that he shot a Grey Plover at Papa Westray on November 30th, 

 1889; it was with some Curlews, from which it separated on 

 being flushed, and settled on a newly ploughed field. This is 

 the only one that gentleman ever saw in Orkney; the date of 

 its capture is very late. 



Another Grey Plover was sent to Mr. L. Dunbar, Thurso, 

 from Orkney, in December 1889, for preservation. 



^gialitis hiaticula (L.). Ringed Plover. 

 Ore. = Sand-Lark. 



Everywhere abundant and resident, assembling at times in the 

 winter in considerable flocks. It breeds almost any- 

 where in the islands, except in heather or long grass, fields 

 with the young corn just appearing being a not unfavourite 

 spot. 



Eudromias morinellus (L.). Dotterel. 



In the Zoologist, C. E. Bree states that a nest of this species was 

 found in Hoy in 1850 ; Messrs. Baikie and Heddle considered it 

 a winter visitant there. Mr. Spence informs us that Sinclair, 

 the late bird-stuffer in Kirkwall, shot eight Dotterels out of a 

 flock in Burray on May 25th, 1857. No other correspondent 

 has observed it in the islands, nor have we ever seen a specimen 

 there alive or stuffed. 



1 These may, however, have been Knots. 



