1252 Birds. 



on the sandy beach in spring, and in August and September. Never 

 or scarcely ever nestles with us. 



White Spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia. Seen on its double pas- 

 sage. Very accidentally met with inland. I know nothing of its 

 habits. 



Whimbrel, Numenius Phceopus. Not quite so common as the 

 curlew (iV. arquata), but a very regular visitant to our shores singly, 

 in couples, or in small parties. 



Greenshank, Totanus Glottis. Stragglers are seen in autumn and 

 sometimes in spring. It has been shot far inland on the banks of 

 rivers, but is very seldom met with in such situations. 



Bar-tailed Godwit, Limosa rufa. Rather uncommon, but seen 

 every year on the sea-shore ; accidentally on the upper Meuse as 

 high as Dinant, and according to Mr. De Selys in the marshes of the 

 interior. 



Curlew Sandpiper, Tringa subarquata. Not uncommon on the 

 coast of Flanders when on its passage. Never nestles here. 



Knot, Tringa Canutus. Common. Gregarious in spring and au- 

 tumn. Some few appear to pass the winter with us when the cold is 

 not very intense. Never nestles, and never seen far inland. 



Little Stint, Tringa minuta. Not common. Regular double 

 visitant. Seen singly or in couples. 



Temminck's Stint, Tringa Temminckii. Not rarer than the little 

 stint on our coast. I have never seen it in the interior. 



Schinz's Sandpiper, Tringa Schinzii. Not uncommon. Several 

 continental authors consider this bird as a local variety of the dunlin, 

 and Temminck says (but I believe erroneously) that it is specifically 

 distinct from the North American bird bearing the same name. 



Dunlin, Tringa variabilis. Common. Gregarious. They may 

 often be seen feeding with the gulls and terns at the edge of the re- 

 ceding tide and in the sheets and pools of salt water left on the sands. 

 Sometimes nestles among the coarse vegetation on the sand-hills. 

 Appears on our shores in March, April, August, and September. 



Purple Sandpiper, Tringa maritima. This, as well as all the 

 other species of Tringa found in Belgium, is a vernal and autumnal 

 passenger. It runs very fast on the sand, and is then difficult to dis- 

 cern, from being of nearly the same colour as the surrounding objects. 

 It is generally seen in small flocks, and scarcely ever found in the 

 marshes or on the rivers of the interior. 



Arctic Tern, Sterna arctica. In spring and autumn. Seen some- 

 times several miles inland after severe storms. This bird is not 





