BIRDS brought to him ; several others considerably mutilated were also found. During his ex- perience of nearly thirty-six years, among the hundreds of locally killed dunlins that he has handled, there have been seven or eight of the much larger type of bird, with the bill more curved, and extremely white on breast and belly ; these have generally been ob- tained alone, or at most two or three together. The last he received were two out of three killed at Fenlake in the winter of 1896. 172. Little Stint. Trlnga minuta, Leisler. Five instances at least can be given of this rare passing migrant being obtained. A specimen formerly in the possession of Mr. J. King, which his son killed at Langford on 29 September i860 ; another which I have seen, in the possession of Mr. A. Covington, killed 2 November 1889, in the New Cut ; an immature bird shot on 21 October 1898 on the irrigation farm at Newnham by Mr. T. Harding, and two others obtained from the same locality on 22 September 1902. 173. Curlew-Sandpiper. Tringa subarquata (Guldenstadt) Another rare migratory visitant. The only records at present are an immature bird shot on 12 October 1872 by one of the old walls at Newnham, and six others obtained from that locality on II and 18 September 1902. 174. Knot. Tringa canutus, Linn. A very uncommon straggler inland. One was killed from a brook at Ravensden, and two others were obtained at Elstow on 2 and 3 October 1884 which had been picked up, one dead and the other with a broken wing. 175. Sanderling. Calldrh arenaria (Linn.) A rare visitor. Mr. A. Covington informs me that in January 1868 a large flock ap- peared in the neighbourhood of Fenlake and remained in that locality for two or three weeks ; several were brought to him at the time, and one or two others were obtained much later. He has also received several odd birds from different localities bordering the Ouse. The last specimen which he re- members was killed in January 1880 during a deep snow from a ditch along the Kimbolton road near to Cleat Hill. 176. RufF( ? Reeve). Machetes pugnax (L'um.) Although this bird was probably a common visitor to Bedfordshire formerly, it is now but a rare straggler in autumn. A reeve was brought to Mr. Covington in September 1877, which had been shot at Cardington, and Mr. J. King's brother shot one about 1 870 near Shefford Mill. An immature bird was killed about 1880 at Newnham. In the autumn of 1894 six or seven ruffs remained at Newn- ham for about a week in association with other waders ; one, a reeve, which was killed on 13 September, was kindly shown to me by Mr. Harrison, another an immature bird was obtained on 23 August 1897, and in its stomach were the remains of several small beetles. 177. Common Sandpiper. Totanus bypoleucus (Linn.) A most regular and plentiful passing mi- grant ; in the spring it may be found with us from the third week in April onwards to the second week in May, reappearing at the latter end of July and throughout August, evidently in many instances remaining with us a week or more at a time. At these periods of the year one seldom fails to find at least a few solitary birds at several of its more favoured haunts ; as at Newnham farm, or about the gravelly shallow stretches of our waterways, such as at Castle Mill, Old Mill near Great Barford, Wyboston Corner, and many other places along the Ouse and Ivel. In the spring movements they are most frequently seen in pairs, but in the autumn small parties may be sometimes observed. Mr. A. Covington has known an odd bird occasionally to stay the summer through at Goldington, and in the neighbourhood of the Biddenham Rapids a pair once remained throughout their nesting period. 178. Wood-Sandpiper. Totanus glareola (J. F. Gmelin) A single instance of this far more uncom- mon but similar species occurring locally is given by Mr. A. Covington, to whom a male was brought in May, about 1875, that had been shot from a pond at Thur- leigh. Davis adds this bird to his list as of occasional occurrence, but it is doubtful whether the species had been correctly veri- fied by him, especially as it is omitted alto- gether in his second edition. 179. Green Sandpiper. Totanus ochropus (Linn.) A migrant in the spring and autumn, and appears most regularly in its latter move- ments. It frequently occurs in some numbers together, and in many instances remains upwards of a week or more at a time. Solitary birds are not infrequently met with throughout the winter months, but I can- not venture to say whether these are the i;u
