THE SANDERLINGK 261 



with us that I have long thought, seeing they only appear in spring, 

 that they must belong to a southern race. I have never yet been 

 able to trace the little Kinged Plover (Ch. minor) in any part of 

 Scotland. 



THE SANDEKLING. 



CALIDRIS ARENARIA. 



A VERY common shore bird on the west of Scotland, especially 

 on its arrival from its breeding haunts in the north. On the outer 

 islands it is plentiful on the sands at low tide between Benbecula 

 and North Uist towards the end of August, by which time it has 

 completely assumed the winter garb. It is never, so far as I am 

 aware, seen at this season with even the remains of its summer 

 dress a contrast to the dunlin and turnstone, both of which occur 

 in the same place with Sanderlings, clad in nearly as brilliant 

 plumage as at the height of the breeding season. It is a common 

 species in autumn on the Ayrshire coast, but disappears from these 

 shores after a few weeks' residence. In early spring it returns to 

 our estuaries and salt-water lochs, and has then changed its colour. 

 Stray birds are seen occasionally so late as the beginning of June, 

 but this depends altogether on the state of the season. 



Mr Harvie Brown, who has for some years taken notes on the 

 arrival of those birds on the banks of the Forth, informs me that 

 he meets with flocks of Sanderlings about the last week of August 

 mixing with ringed dotterels and dunlins, I have now before me 

 several beautifully marked specimens obtained there by Mr Harvie 

 Brown, to whom I have been much indebted for an opportunity 

 of examining, by dissection and otherwise, a variety of wading 

 birds sent to me in the flesh. 



The flesh of this species is well-flavoured, and in some request 

 for table use. The birds, on their arrival in autumn, are loaded 

 with fat, and are then at their best. 



