BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
THE WHIMBREL. Numenius phceopus (Linnaeus). 
A scarce and local visitant to the shores of the Solway on the autumn 
migration ; seen more numerously on the spring-passage, usually passmg 
high overhead. 
Sir William Jardine, writing in 1842 of the Whimbrel, says 
that on the shores of the north of England and south of 
Scotland " they are commonly to be met with in autumn 
or winter, in small parties, and are at once betrayed, among 
a flock of curlews, by their pecuKar note."* Of more recent 
years they have never been observed in winter, nor can 
they be considered as commonly to be met with nowadays. 
In May," writes Mr. R. Service, " it is an interesting occupa- 
tion to watch the small parties of Whimbrel passing on 
their migration from some such favourable place of observa- 
tion as Southerness Point [Kirkcudbrightshire]. These are, 
as a rule, at great heights, but their tittering calls will attract 
the eyes upwards to the compact Httle flocks rapidly passing 
out of sight. From the 10th to the 15th May, during the 
mid-day hours, the Whimbrels will regularly be seen at this 
time if the weather be warm and genial, with a gentle breeze 
or none at aU, and hght, fleecy white clouds speckling the 
skies. Only a few of these passing migrants alight, and they 
never stay more than a day or so, although a succession is 
kept up during the most of the month The Whimbrels 
stay long with us in autumn, but are then scarce and local."t 
A pair of Whimbrels were shot near Caerlaverock at the 
end of August, 1888, and were sent to WiUiam Hastings for 
preservation. Mr. Hugh Mackay writes from Dumfries: 
" On August 29th, 1894, I received a specimen of the 
Whimbrel sent me from Lockerbie. So far as I can learn 
this species is not at all common in this locaHty."{ Mr. 
* Nat. Lib., 1842, Vol. XII., p. 277. 
t Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg., 1905, Vol. VIII., p. 59. 
% Dumfries Standard, May 29th, 1895. 
