154 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



occurrences have been in autumn or early winter, but it has 

 been reported in July. It is a large sandpiper, blackish brown 

 on the head, where there is a median buff streak ; the dark- 

 brown upper parts are barred with black and most of the 

 feathers have buff margins. The rump is blackish brown, the 

 rather long tail buff, barred with black, and white tipped. 

 Conspicuous arrow-head marks show on the buff breast and 

 bars on the flanks ; the chin and abdomen are white. Winter 

 birds are yellower, and the young more rufous. The bill is 

 yellowish, darker at the tip, the legs dull yellow, and the irides 

 brown. Length, 12 ins. Wing, 6'8 ins. Tarsus, I'S ins. 



Redshank. Trifiga totamis (Linn.). 



The noisy, restless Redshank (Plate 64) is a resident and 

 abundant passage migrant and winter visitor to all parts of the 

 coast ; it has greatly increased in recent years. Abroad it 

 breeds throughout Europe and Asia, wintering so far south as 

 the Cape and the Malays. Not only does the bird nest freely 

 on coastwise marshes and saltings, but during the last decade 

 it has established itself in many far inland haunts, nesting in 

 damp meadows as well as marshes. Most writers say that it 

 is rare in Wales ; in some locaHties it is plentiful. 



The Redshank is easily recognised. It announces its 

 presence by a triple call — ///, ///, ee — or a long, plaintive lyuj 

 well suggested by one of its local names, " Teuke." It stands, 

 bobbing in sandpiper fashion, dipping its head and breast as if 

 hinged on its long red legs, and, when it takes wing, shows a 

 white lower back and an even more distinctive broad white 

 border to the wing, formed by the white secondaries and the 

 white on the inner primaries. Although a greyish-brown, red- 

 legged bird when feeding, it looks very black and white in 

 flight. In March there is an increase of birds at the breeding 

 stations, and in April and May a strong northward movement. 



