Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/168

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130
THE ZOOLOGIST

coast, with Golden Plovers. Lastly, on Nov. 30th an immense flight passed over Grainsby to W.; it extended as far as I could see in each direction, and must have contained several thousands of birds, but was divided into separate parties of from one to two hundred each.

Hæmatopus ostralegus, Linn. Sea-pie.—A large flock near the mouth of Grainthorpe Haven on Sept. 20th.

Phalaropus hyperboreus (Linn.). Red-necked Phalarope.—One was brought to me by a Plover-catcher on Sept. 3rd, which he had just killed on his decoy-pool near Tetney Lock.

Scolopax rusticula, Linn. Woodcock.—Apparently a poor Woodcock season everywhere. Three were seen at Well, near Alford, on Oct. 30th, and two shot on the following day. The main flight, however, does not appear to have arrived until the third week of November. Two were killed on the Mablethorpe sand-hills on 23rd of that month, and I saw a good many in the coverts about Grainsby on 27th.

Gallinago major (Gmel.). Great Snipe.—On Sept. 6th I shot a Great Snipe from a small patch of potatoes near the sea-bank at North Cotes. When first flushed it only flew about ten yards, and dropped in the same potato-patch.

G. cœlestis (Frenz.). Snipe.—Many Snipe on Tetney "fitties," and in "crikes" near the coast on Oct. 2nd and 4th; but very wild for new-comers. On 7th I noticed a few Snipe coming in from the sea, and going W., and I flushed several in potato-fields near the coast.

C. gallinula (Linn.). Jack Snipe.—I shot the first Jack Snipe at Tetney on Sept. 20th, and a second on 26th. A great immigration took place on Oct. 21st, when I killed eight and a half couples of these birds in a patch of reeds known as Madam's Crike, situated close to the sea at Tetney.

Tringa alpina, Linn. Dunlin.—A few on the coast on Aug. 16th, but far less than usual at this season. Some large flocks appeared all along the coast, on Sept. 27th. On Nov. 13th, with a heavy N. gale, a flock of two to three hundred Sandpipers, probably of this species, passed over Waith Fen (five miles inland), going W., and flying close to the ground.

T. subarquata (Güld.). Curlew-Sandpiper.—I shot a young bird of this species out of a flock of six on Marshchapel sands on Sept. 20th.