STINT. 
L 1 T r L E 
rniNGA MINUTA. 
TnorGn the Little Stint appears, from the information given by eertain writers eoncerning its disti’ibution, 
to be of not uncommon occurrence on even the north-eastern coast of Scotland, it is only in the southern 
and eastern counties of England that it has come under my observation in any numbers. On two or 
three occasions I met with small parties in autumn on the sands at the mouth of the Tyne near Dunbar 
in East Lothian, and early in June 1807 a flock of ten or twelve, flying north, skimmed past within 
twenty yards of the boat halfway between North Sunderland and the Eern Islands. Though several 
years uere spent on the coasts of lloss-shire, Sutherland, and the adjoining counties, much time being 
passed on the shores of the various firths and muddy harbours, I failed to identify a single individual 
of this species. 
While arrayed in its summer dress, the rich chestnut and warm brown tints on the hack contrasting 
with the snowy white of the underparts render the little bird as it flits over the mudflats or runs by 
the water-side especially attractive. In this plumage the visitors to our shores are but few in number ; 
I have, however, occasionally noticed small parties of two or three birds on the saltings near Shoreham 
all through May, and a pair were obtained in the harbour in the first week of June 1880. On Breydon 
flats flocks numbering from three or four to ten or a dozen are commonly to be seen from the middle 
to the latter end of May, all at this season exhibiting the finest plumage*. During the spring of 1870 
and the following year I had ample opportunities for watching the habits of these active little Waders : 
towards the close of the latter season they were especially plentiful ; on the 20th of May several small 
parties appeared on the flats shortly after daybreak, followed towards midday by a flock of at least 
twenty birds. At this time of year our visitors usually remain but a few hours on the flats, evidently 
intent on making their way towards the far north. 
I hough the Little Stint usually Irequents mudflats where the water is salt, a few birds occasionally 
make their appearance inland during summer and autumn. Early in 1870, after a long continuation 
of dry weather, the water on Ilickling Broad, in the east of Norfolk, fell exceedingly low, large masses 
of green weed usually submerged being exposed to view. Eor several days from the 9th a ])arty of 
twelve or fourteen Little Stints, in the brightest plumage, were to be seen alighting on the patches of 
weed round the edges of the broad, where they eagerly scorched for foodf. Eor the most part 
the Stints were obsenmd by themselves, though they occasionally joined in company with parties of 
Dunlins and Mood-Sandpipers, the whole of these small MAders having doubtless been attracted bv 
the unusual extent of feeding-ground left dry by the falling water. A few stragglers also show themselves 
Unlike the Knot, Godwit, Grey Plover, and Curlew Sandpiper, I have never at this time of year remarked specimens in the garb of 
or showing the change of plumage. 
t This is the only instance that has come under my notice of Stints remaining for any length of time in one locality at this season. 
Minter 
