228 SCOLOPACID.E. 



curlew, or even than the latter and the whimbrel are with each 

 other. About September 1, 1841, he procured god wits, pigmy 

 curlews, ring dotterels, and dunlins, at one shot : — the common 

 fowling-piece is alluded to in these instances. 



Great changes have of late years taken place with respect to 

 the godwit. It was quite unknown during winter in Belfast Bay 

 until the season of 1837-8, when, about the middle of January, 

 two were seen together, and one of them shot ; the same occurred 

 at that period of 1841, after a week's continuance of severe frost 

 and snow. In the winter of 1843, some birds were observed; 

 and on the 21st of December, 1844, a flock of four appeared, 

 from which three were shot; another flock of nine was seen 

 before and after that date. From the winter of 1844 to that of 

 1848-9, godwits have frequented this locality : a flock, consist- 

 ing of about two hundred birds, was seen more than once 

 within the last fortnight of December. They take their departure 

 in the morning from the bay, as believed, to Strangford Lough ; 

 their time of flight being somewhat later than that of the wigeon. 

 Ash-coloured sandpipers or knots (Tringa canutus) bear them com- 

 pany, and to them they are, doubtless, indebted for the hint 

 of this precautionary measure, winch the latter have long adopted. 

 In the season of 1846, godwits were observed literally in thou- 

 sands at Strangford Lough, from the 16th to the 21st of Fe- 

 bruary, which a shooter spent there ; the weather being remark- 

 ably mild at the time. In the last week of February. and first 

 week of March, 1847, they were in similar numbers in that 

 lough. Several great flocks would be seen at one view on wing, 

 the largest of them containing not less than five hundred birds. 

 Even a larger flock, probably amounting to six hundred, appeared 

 in Belfast Bay on the 21st of December, 1847, during a week 

 after which time a great many were seen there, mixed with innu- 

 merable hosts of ash-coloured sandpipers, redshanks, Src. In 

 Carlingford Bay, as well, as in that of Belfast and Strangford, 

 godwits have annually wintered in some numbers since 1843. 



Until the last few seasons, the appearance of the godwit in 

 spring at Belfast Bay was almost unknown ; one only having 



