Ornithological Notes. By George Bolam. 393 



the tTviliglit lias pretty far advanced on a fine summer evening, and when 

 most other birds are silent, that their ' plnp ' ' plap ' is most noticeable ; 

 this note, which is often repeated two or three times, in succession some- 

 what resembles one of the sounds made by a female turkey. 



An egg of this species, in my collection, was taken from a nest upon the 

 links near Boulmer, about the year 1870. 



Grey Plover : Squatarola helvetica, (Linn). 

 Very rarely seen on our coasts in summer plumage. On 25th August, 

 1881, a pair flew over my head, on the sands near Holy Island, having full 

 black breasts. 



Dusky Eedshank : Totanusfuscus, (Linn.) 

 A bird which there can be no doubt was of this species was shot by Capt. 

 Parker, E.N., about the middle of August, 1882, on the sands near Goswick. 

 Not knowing the bird, Capt. Parker took it to the Berwick Museum to have 

 it identified, but failing to find out what it was, the bird was not preserved. 

 From a very accurate description which I had from Capt. Parker, I felt quite 

 sure that the bird must have been a dusky redshank, and this suspicion 

 was afterwards proved to be correct ; for Mr Wm. Shaw when I showed him 

 a specimen of Totanus fuscus in my collection, at once identified in it the 

 bird which had been brought to him at the museum. 



That the specimen was not preserved is much to be regretted, for the 

 dusky redshank is of very rare occurrence in the district ; and Capt Parker 

 told me that had he known the bird would have been at all acceptable, he 

 would have gladly presented it to the Museum. 



KuFF : Machetes pugnax, (Linn.) 

 On 22th August, 1880, I killed a young femsile of this species on the sands 

 a few miles south of Berwick ; and on 7th September last, a male was shot 

 by my brother near the same place. These are both in the first plumage. 



In the " Proceedings " for 1879 at page 168, a slight mistake has 

 occurred. In speaking of three birds of this species there recorded it is 

 stated that "two of them are in the winter plumage, the other is imma- 

 ture" this should be reversed so as to read " one of them is in winter 

 plumage the others immature. " The adult plumage is rare in the district. 



When in the Zoological Gardens on 3rd September of last year, I was 

 surprised to find the ruffs in full breeding plumage ; as were also some of 

 the knots, bar-tailed godwits, and dunlins, which were confined in the same 

 enclosure. Probably from the high feeding to which these captives are 

 subjected, they had been longer in losing their summer condition, but, 

 especially in the case of the ruffs, which when at liberty loose their 'ruff' 

 before the summer has far advanced, it seemed curious to find birds in 

 this state so late in the autumn. 



Little Stint : Tringa minuta, Leis., and Cuelue Sandpiper : Tringa subav 

 quata, (Giild.) 



A little stint in immature plumage was shot on 10th September, 1881, from 

 amongst a flock of curlue sandpipers upon the rocks near Boulmer, 

 Northumberland. Two others, also immature, were killed by my brother 

 near Goswick, on 11th September, 1883. 



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