412 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the passage northward in spring. I have a pair in perfect summer 

 plumage shot at the harbour in April, 1890. A few Grey Plovers 

 {Squatarola helvetica) along the shore where the sand is muddy. 

 This morning my dog caught a Moorhen amongst some rushes of 

 a pond. The bird was unable to fly, both wings being in a 

 complete state of moult. A similar instance in the case of 

 the Landrail was cited at a recent meeting of the British 

 Ornithologists' Club. 



Sept. 8th. Light south-westerly wind, fine. Several young 

 Knots have come. 



Sept. 9th. Whimbrel (Numenius phceopus) on the Lydd Beach 

 for the first time. Numbers of Meadow Pipits (Anthus pratensis) 

 are invading the dykes and shallow pieces of water. Golden 

 Plover, in excellent condition, have also arrived. A Wryneck, 

 adult male, on shore, and a few Lesser Terns beating round the 

 mouth of the harbour. A small flock of Redstarts, two of which 

 sang fitfully throughout the day. Their songs were of a short 

 duration, and not unlike the commencement of the Robin's 

 autumn song. 



Sept. 10th. Wind south-westerly ; very rainy. The large 

 flocks of Lapwings already about have become greatly increased. 

 A small flock of Kentish Plovers {JEgialitis cantiana) on the 

 beach bank near the harbour. I have never found the Kentish 

 Plover amongst the flocks of Dunlin unless numbers of Ringed 

 Plovers are present ; otherwise it keeps by itself. During autumn 

 this bird exhibits none of that restlessness and timidity so marked 

 in these other two species. It will sit dozingly for a long period 

 on a spot where the beach has silted up, and there wait patiently 

 for the tide to reveal new-born things ; not so the greedy and 

 restless Dunlin, who hurries off from his station amongst the 

 sea-pink ere the tide has had time to turn, all eager to gather 

 the first fruits. On the shore-line, where food is plentiful and 

 easily obtained, the Dunlins are wide-awake and restless in the 

 extreme ; but when a spring-tide covers the sand they resort to 

 brackish pools possessing scanty food, and here the preoccupation 

 they display in searching for it renders a close approach easy ; 

 and interesting it is to watch their quaint movements, now sidling 

 along almost knee-deep in the water, then stopping for a moment 

 motionless, with humped backs, like so many little aged creatures, 

 then arching their wings to the full extent above their bodies, as 



