o 
wnniBREL. 
Shot the smallest \\'himhrcl I ever met with. It was impossible to form an opinion as to the species till 
the hire! was in the boat, even after a close inspection with the glasses while it fed alongside of the drain at a 
distance of only twenty-five or thirty yards. The beak was remarkably short, and eshibited but the slightest 
signs of the curve. No other Whimbrel, or even a Wader larger than the Dotterel or Dunlin, were seen all 
day.” Two gunners, well acquainted with every member of the Wader family frequenting the Sussex mudflats, 
stated that during a severe winter some twenty years ago they noticed a couple of strangers in the flock of 
Curlew which habitually resort to this district; and the birds happening to pass within range, the pair were 
obtained. According to their description, these tAvo birds belonged to the small race or variety of the 
Whimbrel *. The very accurate manner in which every peculiarity of this small form was described was 
sufiicient to satisfy any one who had previously met with them. Whether these pygmies are simply the youn<> 
(which is my OAvn conclusion) or a smaller form of the Whimbrel, I must leave to scientific naturalists to 
decide. 
After the manner of all the family, the Whimbrel is frequently heard at night, especially in stormy 
weather. The following lines are extracted from my notes of 1873, while shooting on Breydon : — 
“August 25. Wind south, weather dull. During the latter part of the afternoon and evening the sky 
had worn a most threatening appearance, and shortly before dark it commenced to rain and blow, and a 
thunderstorm of great severity passed over the town (Yarmouth). During the whole of the tempest immense 
numbers of Waders Avere attracted by the lights, and remained for several hours flying over the houses. The 
cries of Whimhreh Curlew, Godwits, Plovers, Knots, Pvedshanks, and several otLr birds could plainly 
1)0 distinguished. It AAas aftenAards mentioned in some of the sporting papers that large flocks of Waders 
had been heard calling over London during the storm of the same date.” 
Along the west coast of lioss-shire and also in the Hebrides the note of this species Avas recognized 
repeatedly during spring, even if the birds themselves escaped notice. In Sutherland and Caithness they 
appear at the same season, though I have remarked but fcAv in autumn. On the east coast I met with small 
parties along the shores of the Firth of Forth, the sands at Aberlady and the rocks between Canty Bay and 
Dunbar being favourite feeding-grounds. 
I can give but little information derived from my oavu experience concerning the breeding of the Whimbrel 
in tlic British Islands. Though searching with the greatest care and patience over miles of moorland in the 
north of Caithness, where I learned, on good authority, that these birds were in the habit of nesting, there was 
not a single specimen to bo observed at the time of my visit in June 1809. Particular attention was ^iven 
to the country in the vicinity of Ilnna and Duncansby Head ; I n-as, however, at length reluctantly forced 
to come to the conclusion that the birds must have entirely deserted their former quarters 
But two or three pairs of Whimbrel which might reasonably be judged to be engaged in nesting-operations 
were fallen in with during the two seasons (1868 and 1809) in which I devoted particular attention to 
c-xaro.nmg the reputed haunts of these birds. While off the west coast of Eoss-shire early in June 1808 in a 
small flshing-craft during a fresh breeze of wind, a pair of Whimbrels Hew up from one of the rocky islets 
lying outside Loch Ewe, and continued for some time hovering over the boat, calling loudly and evidently 
greatly distressed by tlieir lonely abode being threatened with a visit. These noisy birds were shortly ioined 
by two or three others which came from some of the adjacent islands. Though several attempts were made 
the surf was breaking so heavily round tlie roeks that tliere was not the slightest chance of effecting a landing’ 
I here did not appear above a quarter or at most half an acre of coarse heather and grass on the summit of 
this wild and rugged mass of red rock, that rose but twenty or thirty feet at the highest point above the 
waves, which were constantly breaking around with tci-rilic force. On the following day the attempt to search 
the spot was renewed, though unfortunately without success. The same birds were again seen ; and from 
* Theso birds were toniicd “ Ciurlew wliclji.s ’’ by tlio men. 
