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THE PURRE OR DUNLIN. 
Tringa variahilis. 
PLATE XVII. 
Tringa alpina, variabilis of authors Pelinda variahilis, 
Stephens Tringa cinclus, Linn, (in winter plumage.) — 
Purre, Dunlin, or Stint of British authors . 
This beautiful, and by far the most abundant of the 
British Sandpipers or Tringce , is very equally and 
numerously distributed along all our sea shores, from 
the most northern islands to the southern coast of 
England. During winter, the shores and banks of 
the sea and estuaries are only frequented by them ; 
they return there after the season of incubation is 
completed, and congregate sometimes in small par- 
ties, at others in almost innumerable flocks, accord- 
ing to circumstances, following and feeding after 
the retiring tide with the greatest activity, along 
all the margins of the waters where a soft food may 
be found, and delighting in those oozy flats of soft 
sand or mud, which cover many acres in extent 
upon much of the low lying shores of our islands. 
During the full tide they rest, and may be found 
perched on some rock that stands above the waters, 
or huddled together on the beach, inactive, until the 
tide has commenced to recede. In spring they dis- 
