340 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



According to Mr. Gatcombe, large flocks of Knots sometiniCS remain throughout the 

 winter at Plymouth (J. G., Zool. 1873, pp. 3468, 3784 ; 1875, p. 4373 ; 1876, p. 5490; 

 1870, pp. 114, 418) ; one occurred on the Exe in November 1808, and a small flock in 

 December 1888. 



Specimens in breeding-plumage are met with occasional'iT. One was shot out of a 

 flock of ten on the Exe, May 27th, 1844 (F. W. L. E., MS. iv. p. 116). This bird is 

 now in the A. M. M. Another occurred on the Exe, Augu.st 11th, 1877 (W. D'U., 

 Zool. 1877, p. 448) ; a male at Bantham about 1860; a female on tlie Kingsbridge 

 estuary in May 1876 (R. P. N., MS. Notes); and two at Plymouth September 16th, 

 1873 (Zool. 1873, p. 3784). There was a male from Devon in the National Collecti(jn 

 which was presented by Mr. Comyns. A Knot obtained at Plymouth on May 5th, 

 1878, was still in winter plumage (Zool. 1879, p. 418). 



Knots are abundant on the Kingsbridge estuary in autumn, and a few occur in 

 winter and spring. Mr. Henry NichoUs shot a white specimen tiiere, September 16th, 

 1865, which is now in his fine collection. It was in company with two other birds in 

 the ordinary plumage, which were also shot (H. N., Zool. 18()6, p. 52() : and MS. Notes). 

 On the Exe estuary the Knot is rarely seen except in autumn, arriving in September and 

 remaining for about three weeks. 



Mr. Mansel-Pleydell states that a few Knots occasionally remain during 

 the winter in the neighbourhood of Poole Harbour : and Mr. Cecil Smith 

 considered this bird a winter visitor to the Somersetshire coast. 



RuiF. Machetes imgnax (Linn.). 



A casual visitor, of occasional occurrence, generally in autumn or winter, 

 and very rarely in spring. " On 17th May, 1806, a Ruff was shot at the 

 mouth of the Avon, on the coast of South Devon ; this had a white ri;tf, 

 »iuite perfect, Imt no warty appearance about the face" (Montagu, Orn. 

 Diet., SuppL). Excepting this specimen, two- full-plumaged males and a 

 female said to have been shot on Aveton (jifford Marshes, and now in the 

 collection of the late Mr. J. Elliot of Kingsbridge, and a Huff and I'eeve 

 at Plymouth May 9th, 1807, all that have been obtained in South Devon 

 were immature birds or adults in winter plumage. A male bird was shot 

 on Dartmoor in January 18G7, and another there in October 1878 (J. G., 

 MS. Notes ; Zool. 1879, p. 113), but it is on the estuaries or near the 

 sea-coast that the Ruff is most frequently met with. 



At Plymouth one occurred December 8th, 1854; two May 9th, 1867 (B., JIS. 

 Notes). 'One was shot at Slapton Ley by Ilev. Mr. Holdsworth, December 27th, 1808 

 (Montagu, Orn. Diet., Suppl.). Two Ruff's and a Reeve in winter plumage, obtained 

 near Kingsbridge, are in ^Ir. Henry Nicholls's collection. 



Montagu mentions one shot near Exeter " lately" (1813). The late Mr. Ross slates 

 thnt when in September 1844 a Reeve occurred on the Exe it was quite an unknown 

 bird there (IMS. Journ. iv. p. 121), but since then a good many iiave been obtained 

 from time to time. Several specimens in the A. M. M. were killed on the Exe in the 

 winter of 1847-48 (R. C). Several were shot in August and September 1870; one in 

 September 1889; and one at Esmouth, December 1890. There were Devon-killed 

 si)ecimens in Mr. Byne's collection, probably from the Exe. 



One was killed on Braunton Burrows in the winter about 1856 (M. A. M., Zool. 

 1858. p. 6264). The EutT has also been shot near Clovelly, and an imniMture bird was 

 secured near Barnstaple in September 1865 (G. F. M.. ' Naturalist.' 1866, p. 360). A 

 RnU' imd Reeve, September 15th, 1870, on Braunton Burrows (M. S. C. R., Zool. 1870, 

 p. 2387), and one there in November 1889 (Zool. 1890, p. 108). 



