BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 399 
THE PURPLE SANDPIPER. 
Tringa maritima, J. F. Gmelin. 
An uncommon autumn and winter-visitor to our coast. 
The Purple Sandpiper arrives on the shores of the Solway 
in September and seldom stays so late as May. Mr. R. 
Service writes : " It is to be found the whole winter through 
in small parties of half a dozen or less, wherever seaweed- 
covered rocks fringe the shore. They delight in remaining 
just where the surf splashes about, requiring them to jump 
up out of its reach as each wave dashes in."* The above 
short description of the habits of this species, is quoted from 
Mr. Service's paper on the Waders of the Solway Area, and 
it must be remembered that the shores of Dumfriesshire 
offer few attractions to this rock-loving species. Sir William 
Jardine in 1842 wrote of the " Purple or Rock Sandpiper " 
as a not very numerous winter- visitant to the coasts of the 
south of Scotland. t A bird of this species was shot at Glenge 
(Tinwald), about eleven miles from the sea, early in November, 
1886. Mr. R. Service informs me that it was in immature 
plumage, with the feathers rather broadly edged with white, 
and was sent to William Hastings for preservation, whence 
it passed into the collection of the late Mr. Marsland. On 
November 10th, 1887, a Purple Sandpiper was shot at 
KirkmichaelJ some fourteen miles from the sea, and is now 
in the possession of Mr. T. Farish. Mr. J. Harkness writes 
me that he shot one of these birds on Blackshaw bank 
on January 1st, 1888, and Mr. Hugh Mackay informs me 
that in the winter of 1894-1895, the Purple Sandpiper 
was more plentiful than in former years, while Dr. Scott 
has sent me word that these birds have been seen on the 
Ruth well coast. 
* Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg., 1905, Vol. VIII., p. 53. 
t Nat. Lib., 1842, Vol. XII., p. 237. 
t Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg., 1905, Vol. VIII., p. 54. 
