THE LITTLE STINT. 299 



observed several times among a flock of dunlins, the peculiarity 

 of its call having attracted attention towards it ; — this is described 

 by one person to be a " singular kind of rattling sound ;" and by 

 another (to whom it is more familiar) to be a twittering note, 

 like that of the swallow, but shriller, more rapidly repeated, and 

 of longer continuance. It is said to be very distinct from that of 

 any other shore-bird. 



On the 10th of October, 1834, two stints, unassociated with 

 other species, were shot at Dunbar's Dock, Belfast : one of these 

 had more reddish brown in its plumage than any others ob- 

 tained previously, and was evidently adult. On September 10, 



1836, a stint was seen in the bay. About the 1st of September, 



1837, a flock consisting of nine of these birds was observed. Their 

 species being known to our shooters, they were perseveringly fol- 

 lowed, and though very wild, were all killed within a fortnight, some 

 falling singly and others in company with dunlins : not more 

 than two were procured at one shot. I obtained six of these 

 specimens and made notes on them (previous to their being skinned) 

 of winch the following is an abstract: — in size they were very similar, 

 being about 6 inches in length; tarsi 10 to 10i lines long ; middle 

 toe and nail, &| to 8|- lines ; bill from feathers on forehead to point, 

 8-§- to 9 lines ; colour of bill and legs, in some, blackish, obscurely 

 tinged with green ; in others, bill blackish, legs blackish-grey : 

 other characters, being permanent, were reserved for future exa- 

 mination. Their stomachs all exhibited fragments of stone and 

 sand : in one only were there remains of food, which consisted 

 of perfect insects and larvae, together with minute Crustacea. In 



1838, a stint appeared in the bay on the 4th of September, 

 two on the 8th of that month, and four on the 24th of October. 

 In 1839, three arrived so early as at the end of July : on the 

 night of the 17th of September, the calls of two or three were 

 heard by a shooter, who, going in pursuit of them on the next 

 morning, killed one. On the following day he procured three 

 along with dunlins, at a couple of shots, and on the 21st, one, 

 together with two pigmy curlews and some dunlins. They have 

 also been killed in company with ringed plover and dunlins. In 



