THE DUNLIN OE PUEEE. 
289 
young can wing their way from their breeding-haunts, they come 
hither, and are then most easily approached. I have noted their 
arrival so early as the 80th of June (1842), when about a dozen 
appeared. The numbers generally increase rapidly, so that in 
one or two weeks after the first arrival they are plentiful on 
the shores. In 1840 they came very early, a large flock having 
been seen on the 3rd of July, and not less than 200 together on 
the 5th : the fine spring of that year probably induced them to 
retire northward earlier than usual. In 1838, great numbers 
first appeared on the 5th of July : — on the preceding evening an 
observant person, who was on board a vessel in the harbour, 
heard the call of the species at so great a height in the air, that 
he could not see the birds, but immediately afterwards a large 
flock came in view, and descended from a great elevation almost 
in a direct line to the beach — doubtless having just arrived on 
migration from their breeding quarters. In the following year, dun- 
lins were remarkably late, not being observed, at least on favourite 
banks a mile in length, until the 30th of July; but then they 
appeared all at once in multitudes. Towards the end of July 
they have usually arrived in immense flocks, consisting cliiefly of 
young birds of the year. That the majority does not always con- 
sist of individuals of that age, is, how^ever, shown in the following 
note by J. E. Garrett, Esq. 
July 26 and 27 , 1848. — I have procured twenty-seven 
dunlins, shot during these two days ; all old birds except six. 
There were tliree or four flocks of them on the Kinnegar, where 
they appear just to have arrived from their breeding-places. 
During the summer, I observed a few dunlins in the bay almost 
daily. Scarcely two of the twunty-one adult specimens were 
alike in plumage.'’^ 
At the end of July, I have remarked that every individual of 
immense fiocks seemed, after alighting, from attitude, &c., to be 
giving forth its note as in spring, thus rendering the whole ooze 
musical. Although it never occurred to myself to designate the 
dunlin a song-bird, the best observers of the species in this 
locality consider that it should be so termed. Their statement 
VOL. II. u 
