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BIRDS 177. Jack Snipe. Galllnago gallinula (Linn.) A winter visitor. The earliest record of its arrival is 28 August 1884, when one was shot near Cheadle (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 127). A curious variety is recorded from Endon with dirty white streaks in place of buff (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1901). 178. Dunlin. Tringa alpina, Linn. Occasionally met with in autumn and winter in the Trent valley and probably on migration in other parts. One at Madeley on 28 March 1892 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 128). [Little Stint. Tringa minuta, Leisler. Mentioned in Garner's list on Dr. Hewgill's authority without details.] [Purple Sandpiper. Tringa striata, Linn. The birds of this species recorded in the Birds of Staffordshire (p. 128) were not killed at Burton-on-Trent but on the Burton sewage farm which is near Egginton in Derbyshire.] 179. Knot. Tringa canutus, Linn. Three shot near Burton on 5 October 1891 (Birds of Derbyshire, p. 209), where they have occasionally been killed in former years. One was killed at Tittensor in December 1892 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 128; Report North Staffs Field Club, 1893, p. 55). 1 80. Sanderling. Calidris arenaria (Linn.) Three shot at Walton-on-Trent about 1878 (Birds of Derbyshire, p. 210). 1 8 1. Ruff. Machetes pugnax (Linn.) Two birds in immature plumage were shot near Burton in the summer of 1857 (Fauna of Burton, p. 1 06). 182. Common Sandpiper. Totanus hypoleucus (Linn.) A summer migrant breeding regularly on streams in the north of the county. In 1891 a pair hatched off their young in the vicarage garden at Madeley (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 129). 183. Green Sandpiper. Totanus ochropus (Linn.) An occasional visitor. Garner records one from Betley, and Mosley and Brown note it as frequently occurring. Several seen at Alton in 884-5 and one killed. The Rolles- ton Hall museum contains a specimen shot in January 1894, on the estate. 184. Redshank. Totanus calidris (Linn.) Locally, Whistling Plover. Formerly only an occasional visitor, but within the last thirty years has established itself as a breeding species in the valleys of the Trent and lower Dove. A good many pairs now nest annually in the meadows by these rivers (Report North Staffs Field Club, 185. Spotted Redshank. Totanus fuscus (Linn.) Mr. Edwin Brown possessed one specimen which was killed on the Dove (Fauna of Burton, p. 1 06). 1 86. Greenshank. Totanus canescens (J. F. Gmelin) Recorded in the Birds of Staffordshire (p. 130) as having been sometimes seen near Burton-on-Trent and shot near Brereton Lodge. 187. Bar-tailed Godwit. Limosa lapponica (Linn.) A rare straggler. Two were shot near Burton ' many years ago ' and identified by Mr. C. Hanson (Birds of Derbyshire, p. 215). Sir O. Mosley and Mr. Brown state that it has occurred several times on the Trent. [Black-tailed Godwit. Limosa belgica (J. F. Gmelin) The entry with regard to this species in the Birds of Staffordshire is erroneous ; no mention of it occurs in the Natural History of Tutbury.~ 1 88. Common Curlew. Numenius arquata (Linn.) A few pairs of these birds still breed on the moors in the north of the county and on Cannock Chase and Chartley under careful preservation. Several times recorded in other parts of the county (Report North Staffs Field Club}. 189. Whimbrel. Numenius ph&opus (Linn.) A rare visitor. F. B. Whitlock says that a few pass up and down the Trent valley on migration to and from the north. Two whimbrels which were accompanied by a curlew at the time were shot at Swinscoe on 30 April, 1899 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1901 ; see also 1894, pp. 53-4). 190. Black Tern. Hydrochelidon nigra (Linn.) A rare straggler during the summer months. One shot near Patshull House, Wolverhamp- ton, about 1876 and another seen for some days in August 1886, on the same piece of water (Field). One killed at Madeley Pool in 1889 (Reports North Staffs Field Club) and another shot at Rolleston 10 May 1894 is now in the museum. 157