BIRDS. 



329 



as I can recollect, one of these birds was frequenting the salt-marsh, 

 and the other two when disturbed rose off the mud-flat and flew up 

 and joined the other single bird.) 



Numenius phaeopus {L.). Whimbrel. 



Regular passing migrant only. But only occasional on the coast of 

 Forfar. Passes both in spring and autumn. 



Though Don included it (judging from the context) as " breeding 

 on the mountains along with Curlews," there is no existing later 

 evidence of that fact (1813).^ 



Mr. Milne only quotes the Black Booh of Kincardineshire as his 

 authority for his statement that it is " a visitor to the coast." But 

 in the Black Book itself it is only mentioned by name under the 

 heading "Ornithology of the Coast" (loc. cit., p. 116); and this is, 

 after all, probably founded upon Don's statement as above given 

 (1843). 



There is one, however, now in the Museum at Montrose, which 

 was got on the Back Sands there (auct. Dr. Howden, September 1887, 

 and recorded Scot Nat., 1887, p. 350). 



In 1860 Mr. Small received one from near Perth on the 1st 

 August 1860 ; and Mr. \V. Evans saw some there on the same date in 

 1885. This appears to be their usual time of arrival on our coasts 

 in autumn, and these are usually mainly composed of young birds of 

 the year. 



Millais simply speaks of it as "common on migration," i.e. about 

 Tay estuary. 



Also see under next species on page 331, infra. 



Numenius arquata (L.). Curlew. 

 Common. Resident. Breeds. 



It is interesting to find, in the " Agricultural Survey of Kincardine- 

 shire," the statement that "the Curlew, so frequent in Lothian, has 

 not found its way here," whatever the true value of the remark may 

 be. There is, however, also a curious absence of notices of the 



^ It is quite evident that Don made some misidentifications— or otherwise made 

 errors as regards synonyms. Thus we find the statement that Columha cenas frequent- 

 ing the rocks by the seaside, but no mention is made of the Rock Dove. What could 

 Pariishiarmicushel — i.e. P. hiarmicus of Don? But in most things Don is reliable. 

 Exceptions are the above, and as follows — Picus medius, Picus minor, Loxia enucleator 

 (and calling the latter a Crossbill), Passer montanus (" in the mountains of Angus "), and 

 possibly a few others. But even in a.d. 1905 we find a similar confusion between the 

 Rock Dove and the Stock Dove, in that the former has been lately solemnly stated to 

 nest commonly in rabbit-holes in Fife (see under species). 



