366 
SCOLOPACIDAL 
GRA LLA TORES. 
SCO LOP A CIDjE. 
PURPLE SANDPIPER. 
Thing a maritima. 
PLATE Cin. 
Mr. Yarrell mentions that a nest and eggs of this 
species, said to have been found in Scotland, were amongst 
the rarities in the museum of the late Mr. Bullock, but 
who became the possessor of them at the sale of that 
museum, I have not been able to ascertain. In some re¬ 
marks published by Mr. Selby on the birds frequenting 
the Fern Islands, he mentions having there met with the 
Purple Sandpiper, together with its young ones, which 
were scarcely able to fly. 
I have seen small flocks of this Sandpiper during the 
breeding-season in Shetland, as well as whilst on a bird¬ 
nesting excursion amongst the Norwegian Islands; and 
have often wondered why so many individuals of several 
species of the sea-birds are idlers during this busy season. 
Holboell in his “ Fauna of Greenland/' says, “That it 
breeds throughout that country; that it disappears from 
the sea coast at the beginning of June; resorts to the 
table-land on the mountains, where it remains a short 
time in small flocks, and then goes in pairs to the breed¬ 
ing places, which though always at some distance from 
the sea, are never far inland ; it lays four eggs, and is very 
careful of its young ones." 
