208 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



where Mr. Hugh Keid — as he informed Mr. More — remembered 

 them breeding quite plentifully. Mr. Arthur Strickland informed 

 Mr. Allis, in 1844, that before the drainage of the carrs they 

 used to be taken in considerable numbers in the breeding season, 

 but that he should doubt if any had bred in the county within 

 the half-century." In ' The Zoologist' for 1864 (p. 9362), 

 Mr. W. W. Boulton mentions facts which are suggestive of their 

 having nested near Beverley during the summer of that year. 



There is quite sufficient evidence, however, of their nesting in 

 Lincolnshire long into this century. Between forty and fifty years 



ago they bred regularly on in company with hundreds 



of Kedshank and Snipe. My correspondent, who lives in the 

 neighbourhood, took a nest there in 1873. He also took a nest 

 of the Wood Sandpiper in 1871 with four eggs. A nest also of 

 the Keeve with two eggs was taken in the same locality in 1882, 

 and the female shot. This last probably marks the extinction 

 of the species as a breeder in this county. I have seen eggs 

 which were taken in North Lincolnshire in 1866. 



The species occur with tolerable regularity in the coast 

 districts in the autumn, in August and September ; perhaps the 

 largest number I have seen together at this season was in 1884 — 

 twenty or more in one flock. Considerable numbers were reported 

 during the same autumn. 



In 1870, on June 10th, I saw seven Beeves with a Buff 

 in a large pasture near the Humber, and had the pleasure of 

 examining them through a glass, and was then able to take the 

 following notes of their actions : — Compared with either Golden 

 Plover or Dotterel, they are restless, unquiet feeders, and are 

 frequently shifting their ground, taking little flights of twenty 

 or thirty yards. Considering the length of the tarsi, they are 

 by no means high standing, looking less elevated than the 

 Golden Plover. The body is carried horizontally, the tibio- 

 tarsal joints being much bent, the head, if anything, inclined 

 downwards ; they run rapidly, now and then stooping to pick 

 up some small substance, probably an insect, from the grass, 

 and often crossing and re-crossing each other's tracks, not feeding 

 like the Knot, all in the same direction. The Buff appears both 

 proud and jealous of his several wives, following them up closely, 

 and occasionally, when he thinks they are getting too far away, 

 takes a short flight towards them. He is most watchful, and 





