Scraps relating to Natural History, by C. M. Adamson. 861 



and Asia, breeding in the latitude of Lapland in these two con- 

 tinents, and migrating a long way south in the winter. Copied 

 from my notes : — Aug. 20tli, 1878. Two birds flying high, over 

 Holy Island came suddenly down and settled about 150 yards 

 from where I was sitting. I heard from their note that they 

 were unknown to me, the note more resembling a Green Sand- 

 piper's ; two notes, not very loud, and not resembling those of 

 the Common Eedshank. I allowed them to settle quietly, and 

 then surveyed the ground to see what could be done. I saw, by 

 creeping, I could get a very long shot. 1 started to the point, 

 and on getting there, I saw they were in line, one in the shallow 

 water the other on the edge. I fired a wire cartridge from my 

 old gun, and contrary to my expectations, one only rose and went 

 straight away ; the other jumped up, but fell struggling in the 

 water. I ran as hard as I could, as I knew I had a prize, and 

 having so often lost birds when wounded rising again, I was 

 anxious to secure it. A single shot had, however, hit it in the 

 head. On coming up, I confess I was puzzled. It looked like a 

 small Whimbrel ; the dark crown of the head, and the spotted 

 back, and the under mandible was not red but livid ; the legs 

 were hid in the water. On lifting it from the surface, its long 

 red legs revealed the secret, and no description I can give can 

 convey the sensation I felt in having shot and secured a wild rare 

 bird like this the fii-st time in my life. I am not prepared to say 

 what the other bird was, but I think they were alike. Singularly 

 enough, knowing it was the very time for the autumnal migration 

 of this bird, on the evening before I told one of my children 

 that it was the very place for one ; but to have met with one and 

 secured it the following day, was surprising. It fell within a 

 few yards of where I got the Wood Sandpiper on the 16th of 

 August the previous year. 



Greenshank. — I have met with this fine species on three oc- 

 casions only, in winter plumage, near Holy Island, viz., Nov. 

 10th, 1853, the 14th Feb., 1845, and 14th Nov., 1845. I have 

 seen it frequently and shot it in August and September, and these, 

 invariably were young birds hatched the same year on their 

 migration southwards to spend the winter. They are at all times 

 wary birds, generally keeping in very open spaces where they 

 can easily see their enemies, and in consequence fly away before 

 you can approach them. I never heard of one on this coast in 

 spring. On Aug. 25th, 1879, whilst prowling about looking for 



