THE BIRDS OF THE ISLAND OF TIREE 223 



Common Sandpiper {Totanus hypoleucus). Regular summer 



visitor, nesting sparsely on different parts of the island. They 

 arrive from the middle to the end of May, and depart as soon as 

 the young are strong enough to undertake the journey. 



Redshank {Totanus calidris). Redshanks are only absent from 

 the island during the months of May, June, and July. I have noticed 

 a pair now and again all summer, but I do not think they nested. 

 They are numerous during winter, and are rather a nuisance to any- 

 one trying to stalk wildfowl on the sea-shore, as they are always on 

 the look out, and give notice to all the other birds by their calls 

 when an intruder comes in sight. 



Greenshank {Totanus canesccns). These birds are sparsely 

 distributed over the island during autumn, winter, and spring. 

 They are mostly to be seen singly or in pairs. One pair nested on 

 the island some years ago. Unlike the Redshank, they are always 

 in good condition, and their flesh is excellent eating. 



Bar-tailed Godwit {Limosa lapponica). This species is 

 common on all the sandy bays and creeks during autumn, winter, 

 and spring. They seem to feed on marine worms, which they 

 procure by boring in the sand with their bills. I remember when 

 digging for lugworms for bait at Gott Bay, about half a dozen of 

 them alighted within a few yards of me and immediately began 

 boring. Although their bills were buried in the sand, they kept 

 calling to one another. The call was very like the Snipe's drumming, 

 but not so continuous. They are entirely shore-feeders, and never 

 frequent fresh water while on the island. 



Black-tailed Godwit {Limosa belgica). A very few of this 

 species occur occasionally, sometimes single birds, and now and 

 again two or three together. I have noticed them both in spring 

 and autumn, but of late years more frequently in autumn. They 

 do not stay more than a day or two. This is a bit of a ventriloquist, 

 the wild eerie cry sounding very far away when the bird is fairly 

 near. This species never goes to the sea-shore, but bores for food 

 in muddy marshes and fresh-water shallows. 



Common Curlew {Numenius arquatd). Curlew are only absent 

 from the island during the months of May, June, and July. They 

 begin to return about the middle of August, when they are in very 

 poor condition, but they soon begin to improve, and by the month 

 of October they are as fat and heavy as a duck, and are well worth 

 shooting. When skinned like a rabbit the flesh is very good eating, 

 but when only plucked, the skin gives it an unpleasant taste. Curlew 



