o 
KNOT. 
Knots making- their Avay from the far north appear on our sliores as early as the middle of 
summer, the first flocks being composed of young birds. Under date of July 8, 1868, while on the 
cast coast of Koss-shire, I find the following in my notes Loft the Meikle Ferry early and pulled 
down the tirtli towards Tain, afterw^ards crossing over to the Dornoch shore. Several large flocks of 
Knots were seen during the day flying over the water as well as pitched on the sand-banks. The 
birds, as usual, Avere exceedingly tame, ample opportunities being obtained to examine them closely Avith 
the glasses. After repeated observations I at length came to the conclusion that there Avas not an 
adult in their ranks. Between twenty and thirty knocked down at one discharge, in order to ascertain 
thdr condition, proved to be in the juvenile plumage, their breasts coated Avith fat, and their legs and 
heaks exceedingly soft and fleshy. Many hundreds might have been obtained Avith the shoulder-gun 
alone ; to slaughter them, however, at this season A\-as simply useless destruction.” 
Though the young, according to my OAAm experience, invariably shoAV first on the north-east coast 
of the Highlands and also in the south of Scotland, I have on more than one occasion remarked adults 
arriving on the Norfolk mudflats in advance of the immature birds. While shooting on Breydon in the 
autumn of 1873, an adult Knot, partly red, though plainly exhibiting the change into Avinter plumage, 
was killed on the 1st of August. No young had as yet been seen, and it is seldom they are met with 
in this part before the middle of the month. In 1871 the first flock, numbering about a score, Avas 
seen on the 26th during a strong gale of wind from the AV'est ; these Avere all young with the exception 
of a single adult that appeared in perfect plumage till picked up, when its feathers AA^ere found to be 
much faded and AA'orn. In 1872, on the same AA^ater, I noticed a feAV old Knots in company with adult 
Grey Plovers on August 24th. On the 27th it blew a hurricane from the north-east, renderimr the Avork 
of navigating Breydon in the punts utterly impossible. On scanning the flats at Ioav water from the 
North AVall, I made out a large flock of Knots, apparently all young. On the folloAving morning at 
daybreak young birds Avere met Avith in large numbers, several, intermixed Avith Golden Plover, being 
bagged Avith the punt-gun. August 27th is the earliest at Avhich I noticed the young so far south as 
Sussex, a pair being killed in the Nook at Bye Harbour on that date in 1858. 
Though immature birds, according to my own observations, make the land towaards the north of 
Scotland, the course followed by the adults appears to point more to the northern and eastern counties of 
England. For a couple of months from the beginning of August 1874, I carefully Avatched the arrival 
of Knots along the shores of the Firth of Forth, and during this season not a single adult came under 
my notice. About the middle of September a large addition to the birds ])reviously observed was 
remarked ; the following extract from my notes refers to the fact “ September 16. Mdiile pulling sloAvly 
back from Gullane Bay, during a dead calm, immense numbers of Knots were observed resting'’ on the 
slabs of rock round the island of Ebris. On making an examination through the glasses, they appeared, 
so far as I Avas able to judge, to consist entirely of young of the year. Tlmre were also a few 
Bar-tailed Godwits, Turnstones, Oyster-catchers, and Purple Sandpipers scattered here and there over 
the loAver ledges. As Ave approached, a couple of Ruffs shoAving immature plumage flcAV round the 
boat, and after circling for a few moments over the SAvarni of birds on the rocks, continued their course 
towards the south-east. No rarities being visible, we were about to leave the Waders unmolested when 
one of the ca-ew remarked that a few of the Plover (Knots) would prove most acceptable to some ’of the 
old folks at Canty Bay. The boat Avas consequently dropped quietly within range, and the birds draAvino- 
into a compact body as they rose from the rock, I Avas enabled to discharge a couple of 10-bores with 
good effect into the flock. In addition to the four hands from Canty Bay, Ave carried to-day two 
sturdy young fishermen belonging to one of the North Berwick boats, to assist in pulling the lon<^ 
oars 111 case of hard work in chasing wounded birds. These laddies proved extremely useful, thouc^h 
