BIRDS some years since we had what is known as a ' woodcock year.' Woodcocks frequently nest twice in the season, and they are amongst the earliest as well as the latest breeders. I have seen young ones able to fly in April, and once came across a family party of three still in half-down at Marthly in Scotland on August II. Mr. Monk of Lewes, a well known collector of British birds, took the trouble to ascertain how many woodcocks remained to breed in the eastern division of Sussex, and the conclusion he arrived at was that in seven districts of east Sussex, com- prising twenty-two parishes, there were annu- ally on an average from 150 to 200 nests of this bird [Zoologist, 1879, p. 434). 231. Great Snipe. Gallhiago major (J. F. Gmelin). A rare autumn visitor. Markwick was the first to notice the occurrence of this bird in Sussex. The specimen was killed near Horsham on October i, 1793. Since that date there are a good many instances of its capture. 232. Common Snipe. Gallinago caelatis (Frenzel). The common snipe breeds in Sussex in small numbers, and although most of their chief winter resorts are now reclaimed for agriculture fair snipe shooting is still to be had about Pulborough and Amberley. There is one instance of the occurrence of the dark variety known as Sabine's snipe. This bird was shot at Appledram Common, and pur- chased by Mr. Knox from Mr. Smith, a Chichester bird-stuflFer, for ^^5 (Knox). 233. Jack Snipe. Gallinago galUnula (Linn.) Fairly common in winter but as elsewhere not nearly so numerous as the last-named species. 234. Broad-billed Sandpiper. Limicola platy- rhyncha (Temminck). The late Mr. Borrer gives an interesting account in his book of how one day in the latter part of October, 1845, he met a boy near the west end of Brighton carrying a bunch of dunlins and amongst them one of these rare strangers, which his experienced eye had instantly detected. The ornithologist purchased the treasure for sixpence. This is the first Sussex example of this rare visitor and one of the very few that have occurred in our islands. Mr. Butterfield says that two others killed on the Sussex coast are in the possession of Mr. Boyd Alexander of Cran- brook, Kent. 235. Pectoral Sandpiper. Tringa macuhita, Vicillot. The only occurrence of this accidental visitor from North America is recorded by Mr. J. E. Harting in his Handbook of British Birds (p. 141), as having been obtained at Eastbourne in September, 1870. 236. Baird's Sandpiper. Tringa bairdiiiVkW- lot). This sandpiper, which is fairly common in the interior of North America, has only once paid a visit to the British Islands, or in fact to Europe, and on the particular occasion on which it came Rye Harbour in Sussex was the chosen locality. Here the bird, an im- mature female, was shot by Mr. M. J. Nicoll on October 11, 1900. It was for- warded to Mr. Hartert of the Tring Museum, who identified it as Baird's sandpiper and showed it subsequently at one of the evening meetings of the British Ornithologists' Club. 237. Bonaparte's Sandpiper. Tringa fuscicollis, Vieillot. This little sandpiper, which is very common on the east coast of North America, has oc- curred twice in Sussex. The first example was obtained by Mr. Kent near the village of Bexhill in a flooded meadow on October 8, 1857 [Zoologist, pp. 673-7). The second specimen was taken at Eastbourne on Novem- ber 12, 1870, and was afterwards purchased by Mr. J. H. Gurney, who recorded its cap- ture in tlie Zoologist (p. 2442). 238. Dunlin. Tringa alpina, Linn. The most abundant of all the waders that visit our coast line. 239. Little Stint. Tringa minuta, Leisler. A regular summer and autumn visitor to the coast, especially about Rye and Pagham. There are fine examples in the full breeding plumage in the collection formed by the late Mr. Booth, and I have a perfect specimen killed in June, i860, near Chichester. I purchased the bird from the late Mr. Sways- land. In the months of August and Septem- ber small parties of young birds remain for a short time on the shores. Associating as it does with flocks of dunlins, and being similar to them in its habits, it is curious that this little wader seems only very rarely to pass the winter with us. 240. Temminck's Stint. Tringa temmincki, Leislcr. This straggler, which does not visit us regularly, as it probably does the county of 293
