THE SANDERLING. 
123 
others standing, several with their heads beneath their wings, 
awaiting, with exemplary patience, until the ebbing waters would 
uncover their feeding grounds, they altogether^ — variety of attitude 
and colour combined — formed the prettiest and most innocent- 
looking group of birds I ever beheld. Truly, a lovely picture of 
repose was there.'’"’ 
During almost every autumn for many years past, I have known 
a few sanderlings to be shot in Belfast Bay, where they generally 
appear about the beginning of September ; but soon after the 
middle of July 1837, one was killed. In other years the earliest 
appeared on the 23rd July (1848), and on the 10th of August 
(1849),* the last still retaining the summer plumage.t They 
— in very limited numbers, often indeed singly, and five being 
the most I have heard of being seen together — keep by them- 
selves on the shore, or mix with dunlins, &c. • After September, 
the migration from breeding haunts being over, they are to be 
met with in their favourite abodes, extensive sandy beaches 
From those at Dundrum (co. Down), Portmarnock, and Dublin 
Bay, I have seen specimens which were procured from that period 
until the end of January. In a note, kindly supplied by Dr. J. D. 
Marshall, two sanderlings are mentioned as liaviug been obtained 
about fresh v-ater, though not far distant from the sea; — one 
near Downpatrick, in December 1830, and the other atNewtown- 
limavady, on the 8th of January, 1831. The sanderling fre- 
quents the coast of Donegal, but is said to be very rare.J Mr. 
E. J. Montgomery, having had good opportunities of observing 
this species, kindly supplied me with the following information 
in the spring of 1849 : — 
The sanderling appears in Dublin Bay in small flocks, on the 
* Two specimens, belonging to my friend, R. K. Sinclaire, Esq. were killed by him 
in Red Bay, county Antrim, on the 22nd of August, 1833. So early as the 22nd 
or 23rd of July, he saw there, in company, a dunlin, three sanderlings, three red- 
shanks, and nine ring dotterels ; most, if not all of which last, were adult birds. 
t On the 11th September, 1839, sanderlings were noted as having been about the 
Long Strand, near Belfast, for some time ; one killed on that day exhibited on the 
back a good deal of the blackish summer markings. On examination of the stomach 
of another, obtained a few days afterwards, it was found wholly filled with minute 
insects. 
5 Mr. J. V. Stewart. 
