332 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



Dunlin. Tringa alj^ina, Linn. 

 [Sandeiiing, Purre, Sea Lark, Summer Lark (X. D.).'] 



Partially resident, probably breeding in small numbers on Dartmoor, 

 where we saw a male in full plumage in June 1866, and Dr. E. Moore 

 states that the nest has been found there (Mag. I^at. Hist. 1837, p. 322). 

 The Dunlin frequents the estuaries of our larger I'ivers in considerable 

 flocks nearly all the year round, but especially in sjDring and early autumn, 

 when large numbers arrive from other parts, Plocks of small dark- 

 coloured birds are then found feeding on the ooze high up the estuary of 

 the Exe, but in winter the flocks, which are at that time composed of 

 larger and lighter- coloured birds, keep to the sea-shore and more sandy 

 banks near the mouth of the river. On the Kiugsbridge estuary, accord- 

 ing to Mr. E. A. S. Elliot, the larger grey form arrives in the autumn, and 

 remains during the winter, leaving in spring about the middle or end of 

 March : tliis form is seldom obtained in summer plumage, but when it 

 does occur it is noticed in pairs, or in twos and threes in April ; these are 

 not birds that have remained all the winter, but are new comers. The 

 smaller dark form arrives in May, in companies of from twelve to twenty, 

 and remains some time ; early in July this race again appears retaining 

 their summer plumage, and birds may be obtained right on to October, 

 but the greater portion have by that time left, to be replaced by the larger 

 race from higher latitudes. 



On one of the days in the last week of July we generally used to see 

 little parties of half a dozen Dunlin, consisting of the two old birds and 

 their brood, on the sands of the Barnstaple river, and thej* were then so 

 tame that they would not rise on wing when approached, only running on 

 in front. AVe have seen boys pelting them with stones, without their 

 flying oft'. Standing quite still we have had them come close to our feet 

 when feeding, and one actually probed the sand and mud which were 

 clinging to the boots of a friend of ours as he was watching them bj' the 

 water's edge. These little parties soon luiite and form small tiocks, and 

 as the season advances the flocks combine, so that an enormous multitude 

 may be seen on the mud-flats, and when these hundreds of birds rise on 

 wing they present a beautiful sight as they skim along over the sands, at 

 one instant presenting all their pure white underparts to view, and in the 

 next, with a simultaneous twist, giving themselves a more sombre appear- 

 ance as they disclose their darker backs and upper wing-coverts. We 

 believe the greater number, if not all, of the Dunlin which are first seen 

 in July and August on the coast continue their migration to the south, 

 being seen again on their way northwards to their breeding-stations in 

 April and May. They are then in their full summer livery, very bright 

 russet above, with very black breast^markings, and are well-known to the 

 Instow boatmen in Xorth Devon b}^ the name of " Summer Larks." 

 The Dunlin we have with us in the winter belong to a larger race, with 

 longer beaks, and have reached ns from the far north, some of them, 

 possibly, from North America. We know of no Dunlin actually nesting 



