400 BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
The Purple Sandpiper nests in northern and circumpolar 
Europe, from Nova Zembla westwards, its nearest authen- 
ticated nesting-place to us being in the Faeroes. In 
winter it is an abundant, but local, visitant to the shores 
of Great Britain, and of the countries of western Europe. 
It also breeds in north-east America, and winters in the 
Great Lakes and middle States. 
THE KNOT. Tringa canutus, Linnaeus. 
A very common autumn and winter-visitant to the Solway shore. 
The Knot may be seen any time between September and 
May, frequenting the sandy banks of the Solway, and often 
huge flocks are observed coming and going to Southerness 
(Kirkcudbrightshire), which is a favourite locaHty especially 
in late autumn, and at this season it is only exceeded in 
numbers by the Dunlin and the Oyster-catcher. Mr. R. 
Service writes me : " There is every reason to believe from 
the observation of older gunners that the Knot was at one 
time far less abundant than nowadays on our shores. It 
has always been very numerous in my own experience, 
with the exception that occasionally in some autumns 
few are to be seen, and that now and again it will be strangely 
absent for weeks. It may be that on such occasions it is 
over on the English side, induced to go or stray there by 
some peculiar state of the wind or weather, or some vagary 
in the tidal flow, which so far as the Solway is concerned is 
ever varying or changing. In spring on a late April 
evening it is often of great interest to make an observation 
of the Knots with a pair of glasses. They will then allow 
a closer approach, and the smaller flocks which are the least 
timid will be seen to have a large proportion in more or less 
fuU breeding-dress." Specimens in this plumage have 
been obtained locally in May. 
