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The Museum Gazette 



appearance in parties, some of them, be it remarked, little 

 more than nestlings, hatched but a few weeks ago on the 

 barren lands of the Polar Basin. The Purple Sandpiper 1 

 is another arrival at this season from the far north ; whilst 

 Dunlins, 2 Redshanks, 3 Sanderlings, 4 and Ringed Plovers 

 (from Northern Europe) in family parties and larger flocks, 

 also help to increase the number and variety of bird-life on 

 the coast. Here and there wary Curlews, 5 Godwits, 6 and in 

 greater plenty Common Sandpipers 7 (one of the very earliest 

 of autumn migrants) appear, to remain for the winter or to 

 pass on in a short time to more southern latitudes. Parties 

 of Terns go by at intervals. It is yet too early for the Arctic 

 Ducks and Geese ; but odd Divers and Grebes occasionally 

 make their appearance now. 



But interest does not entirely centre in strictly littoral 

 species. There are many land birds that are now quite a 

 feature of bird-life on the shore — migrants following coast-lines 

 and ancient routes towards the sunny South. During the 

 first half of August especially, the autumn migration of the 

 Swift, 8 is in full swing, and the birds should be looked out 

 for, especially along the eastern and southern seaboards. It 

 is yet a little too early for the Swallows and the Martins, 9 but 

 various small migratory land birds are sure to be seen. The 

 Wheatear 10 will be one of them. This dainty bird is one of 

 spring's first harbingers, as it is one of the first of autumn's 

 heralds. Odd birds here and there are now migrating along 

 the shore southwards. It is not the province of this article 

 to say anything about land birds ; but there is one, the 

 Rock Pipit, 11 which deserves mention. It is exclusively 

 confined to the coast, and its complaining tweet is sure to arrest 

 attention as the little olive-brown bird, with spotted breast, 

 hops and flits restlessly about the rocks and the shingle on 



1 Triuga maritima. 2 Tringa alpina. :i Totamus calidris. 

 * Calidris arenaria. 5 Nuiuenius arqttata. 6 Limosa rufa. 

 7 Totanus hypoleucus. 8 Cypselus apus. 9 Hirundo : Chelidon, Colyle. 

 Saxicola cenanthe. 11 Anthus obscttrus. 



