228 BRITISH lURDH' XESTS. 



dusky at the point and reddish at the base. Irides 

 hazel. Crown, nape, back and wing-coverts grejdsh- 

 brown, spotted and streaked with bLack ; secondaries 

 tipped with white ; primaries nearly black. Eunip, 

 tail-coverts, and feathers white, the last barred 

 with dusky black. Over the eye is a white streak, 

 and from tlie gape to the eye a dusky brown 

 one. Chin, throat, breast, and under-surface of 

 the body greyish-white, spotted and streaked with 

 brownish-black. Legs and toes red ; claws black. 



The female resembles the male, but is larger. 



Sit licit ion and Localitij. — On the ground, in a 

 little hollow or depression, sheltered by an over- 

 hanging tuft of coarse grass or heather, or in the 

 crown of a rush-root, generally well concealed ; in 

 fen, marsh, and boggy districts on the swampy 

 shores of mountain tarns and lochs ; in i\\e eastern 

 counties of England ; also in suitable parts of 

 Scotland and Ireland. 



Materials. — A few blades of grass or bits of moss ; 

 often nothing at all. 



Eggs. — Four, much pointed at the smaller end ; 

 ground colour varying from ])ale straw to Ijuffish- 

 brown, spotted and blotched with rich dark brown, 

 and underljdng markings of light brown and grey. 

 Size about 1-78 by 1'28 in. Distinguished by the 

 buff ground colour and bold blotches. 



Time. — April and Ma)^ 



Bemarls. — Resident, but subject to local move- 

 ment. Notes : alarm, a shrill, discordant cry, 

 resembling tooh or toll:. Local and other names : 

 Redshank Sandpiper, Pool Snipe, Red-legged Horse- 

 man, Sandcock, Red-legged Sandpiper, Teuke. Sits 

 lightly, and when incubation has advanced, resorts 

 to various alluring tricks to deeo}^ the intruder 

 away from her eggs. 



