274 BIRDS. 



its inland breeding-places early in March. It is one of 



the noisiest of a noisy family. Its distinctive points are 



the brio;ht red leojs and black-tipi^ed yellow bill. 

 Kedshank. ^^ ° . ° , . \ j. t 



It can swim well, and is even known to dive 



when wounded. Like the lapwing, it is said to throw itself 



into the most remarkable contortions to tempt the intruder 



away from its eggs, which are concealed in a tuft of grass. 



Bggs, 4, I ^ inch ; yellowish-grey, with brown blotches. 



The Spotted Redshank is a spring and autumn visitor to 

 the eastern counties ; rare north of Yorkshire and across 

 § Spotted the Border, and has occurred in Ireland only 

 Bedshank. about half-a-dozen times. The legs are darker 

 red than in the last, and the plumage is more mottled. It 

 is also a slightly larger bird. 



Yelloivshanh. — An American straggler that has occurred 

 only once or twice. The legs and feet are bright yellow. 



The Greenshank is a visitor on migration to our inland 

 waters, a very few remaining the winter, especially in Ire- 



§ Green- land, and others breeding, according to Harvie- 

 shank. Brown, in the Outer Hebrides and some other 

 of the isles, and also on the mainland in the far north. It 

 is a larger bird than the redshank, the legs and feet are 

 green, and the black bill has a slight upward curve. Water 

 seems somewhat less essential to its comfort than is the 

 case with the rest of the group, for it seeks much of its 

 food in u})land fields, and the primitive nest is also found 

 at some distance from water. J^ggs, 4, 2 inches ; grey, with 

 purple blotches. 



The Bar-tailed Godwit is a visitor on migration to every 



part of the British coasts, but never breeds in these 



§ Bar- islands. The white bars on the tail, from 



tailed which it takes its name, are most conspicuous 



in the summer plumage, though discernible 



even in the duller tints of winter. The bill is slightly 



