THE WHIMBREL. 199 



The whimbrel when unassociated with other species is generally 

 easy of access ; bnt the late Mr. T. F. Neligan, having shot 

 several in the months of April and May 1837, near Tralee, 

 remarked that the flocks were very watchful, one or two of the 

 party being always stationed as sentinels on an adjoining height 

 while the others were feeding. Those killed by him were found 

 full to the throat with Crustacea. In Belfast Bay, I have met with 

 this species on the oozy banks, the gravelly beach, and on rocks ; 

 but an intelligent shooter, of greater experience than myself, 

 states, that it is very partial to the grassy margin of the beach, 

 and to the fields bordering the coast, especially in wet weather. 

 A veteran sportsman, too, informs me, that many years ago, when 

 the neighbourhood of Belfast was not a populous district as at 

 present, the upland pastures were the usual resort of this bird, 

 where it appeared in great flocks in spring. Within my own 

 experience it has not occurred in such localities; but the low- 

 lying meadows or pastures — such as " the bog-meadows " — are 

 still occasionally visited during the spring migration, by large 

 flocks. The last I heard of there was a flock of about a hundred 

 birds that frequented them during the first week of May 1845 ; 

 during which much rain fell daily in heavy showers. They ap- 

 peared as often in the neighbouring oat-fields as in the pasture. 

 A juvenile friend went in pursuit of them, when one of the birds, 

 a little apart from the others, flew towards, and made a stoop at, 

 his dog, until within about a yard of his head, on rising from 

 which it was fired at and killed ; it proved to be in very fine 

 condition. 



The whimbrel, like others of its tribe, differs much in size. A 

 very fine specimen, shot in Belfast Bay in September 1834, which 

 I had preserved, was in — 



Length, total (stuffed) .... 



of bill from forehead to point 



from rictus to point 



wing from carpus to end of quills 



tarsus .... 



middle toe and nail 



Inch. 



Line. 



18 



6 



4 







4 



3 



10 



2 



2 



8 



1 



9 



