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THE COMMON SANDPIPER. 



Totanus hypoleucus (L.) 



As was to be expected, from its distribution as a breeding- 

 bird in this country, the Common Sandpiper appeared first 

 in the west of England and in Wales, and it was not 

 until some weeks afterwards that it occurred as a bird of 

 passage in the south-east of England. 



It appears also to migrate either singly or in pairs. 



Setting aside the particularly early records in Northum- 

 berland, the first birds arrived from April 8th to 12th, 

 along the coasts of Devon and Dorset, and spread in small 

 numbers over the greater part of Wales and the west of 

 England, as far north as Lancashire and West Yorkshire ; 

 so that by April 16th the bird had reached its breeding 

 area up to this point, while on April 17th it was recorded 

 from Cumberland, and had reached the extreme north-west 

 of Wales. On April 20th an immigration occurred in 

 Devon, and although some of these birds increased the 

 summer residents of Wales and the north-west of England, 

 many passed through Anglesea and Lancashire, which 

 they reached in some numbers on April 24th and 25th, on 

 their way northwards. 



After this date, and up to May 6th, further movements 

 occurred through Wales and northwards through the Isle 

 of Man, but these migrants were not noted on any of the 

 south-western coasts. 



On April 26th the first migrants were recorded for 

 Sussex, and these birds appear to have passed quickly 

 through the south-eastern corner of England, and out of 

 the country by the Suffolk and Norfolk coasts. 



On May 4th, and again on the 9th and 18th, similar 



