BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 319 



become rather wary, and present a less tempting shot to the shore 

 shooter, the flocks being smaller and sometimes found mingling 

 with other sandpipers, in whose company they appear to acquire 

 a better idea of how to take care of themselves. 



It is not easy to name with certainty the breeding haunts whence 

 these flights of knots have come. Mr Dunn has suggested Finland 

 as the likely nursery for the species, as no birds are seen in 

 Scandinavia except in spring and autumn, and he has further 

 started the question whether we are indebted to Europe, Iceland, 

 or North America, for the vast numbers that appear on the 

 English coasts in autumn. As regards Iceland, however, this 

 question may now be considered settled by Professor Newton, who 

 states that on the south-west coast the species is very well known 

 as a bird of passage. "One morning," says this very accurate 

 writer, " at the end of May, 1858, 1 found the shore at Kyrkjuvogr 

 literally alive with a large flock of knots, all in their beautiful red 

 plumage. There had been none there the day before. They 

 stayed about a week, their numbers gradually diminishing, until 

 at last only two or three were to be seen. This is one of the 

 birds possessing great interest to the oologist, for I believe no 

 collection has well authenticated specimens of its eggs." * 



According to Dr Saxby, Knots are tolerably numerous in 

 Shetland, where they have been seen by himself at all seasons. In 

 summer he has obtained adult birds in brilliant chestnut plumage, 

 as well as young ones barely fledged. He has likewise obtained 

 eggs which he has good reasons for believing are those of this 

 species. 



THE BUFF -BREASTED SANDPIPER 



T RING A RUFESCENS. 



A SPECIMEN of this rare British bird is mentioned in a catalogue 

 of species found in Caithness, by the late Mr Sinclair of Wick, 

 and published in the statistical account of that parish in 1835. 

 This specimen is still preserved in the collection which belonged 

 to Mr Sinclair, and has of late years been referred to by Mr Shearer, 

 in a paper which was published on the proceedings of the Royal 

 Physical Society of Edinburgh. 



* See Baring Gould's "Iceland: its Scenes and Sagas," Appendix A, page 

 412. 



