THE KNOT. 309 



the singularity of the scene may readily be imagined. The 

 gulls, too, were conspicuous for two miles, though appearing 

 gradually smaller as they dotted the more distant beach. The 

 light was of such a nature, that while each knot and dunlin 

 looked silvery white, every gull appeared of the purest snowy hue. 



The numbers of these birds — different from the Scolopacidce 

 generally — are as great in the north of Ireland in winter as in 

 autumn. I never knew of more to be seen in Belfast Bay at any 

 period than in December and January of different years. In 

 Strangford Lough they are, from its comparative quietude, still 

 more abundant. It is rarely that any returns can be had thence, 

 but during a week spent there by a wild-fowl shooter in February 

 1846, they were in extreme profusion; and were again so 

 during the first week of March 1£47. The noise of their wings 

 when passing over my informant's head was compared to the 

 rushing sound of a tempest. At night, on the latter occasion, 174 

 were bagged from one shot of a swivel-gun, and these were ob- 

 tained by firing across the flock when on the ground ; two or 

 three times that number would probably have been killed had the 

 flock been fired at lengthwise. ' All of this great body were 

 perfectly silent (doubtless awaiting the falling of the tide to lay 

 bare their feeding-ground), and the shooter knew nothing of their 

 proximity until those nearest to him rose to fly away. 



They retire northward early in the spring : the latest date 

 before me of any flock being seen is March 24, 1837. I once saw 

 a single bird on the 1st of May, but though apparently " sound 

 in wind and limb," it had probably met with some accident. 



The knot is rarely obtained in Belfast Bay in autumn with 

 the red plumage on the breast and belly indicative of the nuptial 

 season. A few birds displaying it came under the notice of Dr. 

 J. D. Marshall, in the autumn of 1828. On the 2nd of Sep- 

 tember, 1845, three individuals in this plumage alighted within 

 a very few yards of a shooter. One obtained so late as the 22nd 

 of September (1835) came under my own notice; as did another 

 killed on the 16th of August (1848) : both are preserved in the 



