170 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



October, and until mid-November. Stragglers occur 

 later until 20th November. A spell of severe cold in 

 December sometimes brings a few, sometimes many- 

 visitors — no doubt from further north, and most likely 

 from Shetland. 



Gallinago gallinula. Jack Snipe. — In spring this 

 species has appeared in small numbers on its way north- 

 wards, from 24th March to 20th May. 



On autumn passage it is frequent and abundant, 

 arriving regularly in September ( 1 1 th the earliest date) 

 and throughout October. The records for its visits in 

 November are not very numerous, and relate to small 

 numbers. Single birds have been found in the first 

 half of December, and there is a record of one on i6th 

 January. 



This species is frequently killed at the lanterns of the 

 lighthouses — more so than any other Limicoline bird. 



Tringa alpina, Dunlin. — Is a bird of passage only, 

 and common at both seasons. 



It appears in spring during the second week of 

 March, and its movements are in progress until near 

 mid-June ; but it is most abundant during May. 



A few arrive annually towards the end of July. It 

 comes abundantly late in August ; occurs at intervals 

 during September ; but only occasionally appears in 

 small numbers during October and the earliest days of 

 November. 



The small race — the " Pelidna sckinsii" of Brehm — 

 has twice come under my notice. On 12th September 

 1905, I shot two in widely separated parts of the Isle; 

 and from 4th to 12th September in the following 

 year, several were observed in small flocks, some of the 

 members of which were still in partial summer plumage. 



