THE BIRDS OF CORNWALL, 221 



Red-breasted Snipe ,• an accidental visitor represented by a 

 single specimen shot at St. Mary's, Scilly, in Oct., 1857; breeds 

 in arctic America and eastern Siberia, winters in central and 

 south America, 



Bar-tailed Godwit ; a passing visitor in autumn occasion- 

 ally in large flocks ; small groups may linger on the mud-flats of 

 our estuaries for several weeks ; in autumn and winter fairly 

 common at Scilly ; breeds from the Yenesei Yalley westward 

 through the Siberian tundras to the marshes of Finland ; irregu- 

 larly distributed in the winter months throughout Europe down 

 to the Mediterranean. 



Black -tailed Godwit ; a casual spring and autumn visitor 

 in the south-west of the count}'- from Swanpool to Scilly ; last 

 recorded specimen Sept., 1893 ; formerly nested in the Fen dis- 

 districts of England, and now breeds commonly in north Europe 

 as far south as Holland ; its winter quarters are from the 

 Mediterranean southwards. 



Curlew ; resident, breeding about Eowtor and Brown 

 "Willy and probably near Kilkhampton ; spends the winter by 

 the sea shore ; one of the most vigilant of birds ; frequents 

 Scilly all the year round but does not breed there ; breeds in 

 western Europe as far south as Brittany. 



Whimbrel ; a regular passing visitor in the beginning of 

 May and again from July to the end of September ; common in 

 the Land's End district and at Scilly ; nests in Iceland, the 

 Faeroes, and in Scandinavia to the limit of forest growth ; in 

 winter migrates coast- wise as far as the Cape. 



Esquimaux Curlew ; an accidental visitor breeding through- 

 out arctic America from Hudson's Bay to Alaska, and wintering 

 in south America ; seven specimens shot throughout the United 

 Kingdom, including one at Tresco, Scilly, in Sept., 1887. 



Black Tern ; a fairly regular passing visitor in autumn, but 

 very rare in spring; abundant near Padstow in Sept., 1900, and 

 not as a rule uncommon in the autumn either on the north or 

 south coast or at Scilly ; formerly nested abundantly in the alder 

 swamps of the eastern counties ; breeds over the greater part of 

 Europe and south to the marshes of northern Africa ; in winter 

 wanders as far south as Loango. 



