The Zoologist — Decemher, 1869. 19i3 



chosen haunt of hundreds of waders, which here feed in comparative 

 safety. It was now low water, so, taking a couple of breech-loaders 

 and a supply of cartridges, we landed on one of the banks. Scarcely 

 did the keel grate along the gravel, before a multitude of gulls rose 

 and flew out seaward, the greater part crossing the sand-hills. There 

 were greater and lesser blackbacked gulls, old and young birds, — the 

 latter species in considerable numbers, — herring, common and brown- 

 headed gulls. We walked for two hours across these gravel-flats, till 

 the returning tide washed up to our feet : curlews, knots, dunlins and 

 gray plovers rose a-head and made off" along the edge of the water in 

 straggling lines of flight, each soundhig his own alarm-note. Not a 

 bird could we get near, excepting the godwits, which were alone 

 approachable, and my first shot brought down a fat heavy " bartail." 

 During the three days we spent at Spurn we found this species most 

 common on the coast, and might, had we been so inclined, have 

 shot several. 



We did not reach the " cutter" till after dark, ringed dotterel rising 

 close upon us, from each shallow pool, at almost every step, their 

 clear melodious whistle heard above the roar of the surf. It was a 

 brilliant night, each little star glittering with frost in the cold northern 

 sky. A walk on deck, listening to 



" The grating roar 

 Of pebbles which ihe waves draw back, and fling, 

 At their return, up the high strand, 

 Begin, and cease, and then again begin, 

 With tremulous cadence slow, and bring 

 The eternal note of sadness in." 



and then to bed, rolled up in blankets on the couches in our snug 

 little saloon. 



October 13th. Up at 5.30, and on shore at six. A gray sea-roke 

 drifting in across the sand-dunes, but aloft the pink cirri spoke of a 

 fine and clear day. As we landed five mallards rose from the water's 

 edge; and near the Point flocks of the common scoter were flying 

 from the sea into the Humber; great and lesser blackbacked gulls 

 hovered along the edge of the side ; flocks of twites and linnets passed 

 twittering overhead, coming in a direction along the sand-hills from 

 the Yorkshire coast and flying towards the Point. There are thou- 

 sands of the nprthern linnet now at Spurn, the ripe seeds of the sea- 

 purslane, a common plant on these sand-hills, are the great attraction. 



