Birds of Britain 



the latter spotted with brown. Three inner secondaries 

 white, showing up conspicuously in flight. In winter 

 the upper parts have a purplish gloss, and the breast is 

 brown, with indistinct mottlings. The young have light 

 margins to the feathers. Length 8*57 in.; bill 1*1 in.; 

 wing 5 in. 



The short legs give this bird a " squat " appearance and 

 generally afford a clue to its identity. 



KNOT 



Tringa canutus, Linnseus 



In autumn numbers of this species visit our shores, 

 where for a few weeks it is one of the commonest birds, 

 being found on all our coasts except in the west of Scotland. 

 Large numbers leave us again after a few weeks' sojourn, 

 but a fair number remain with us in wide estuaries or 

 sheltered bays throughout the winter. A return migration 

 takes place in spring, the birds being then in the full red 

 plumage of the breeding season ; but these soon pass on and 

 only a few weakly and non-breeding birds are left with us 

 during the summer. 



For a long time the breeding home of this bird was 

 unknown, and even although it was discovered breeding 

 over thirty years ago, it is only within the last four or five 

 years that authentic eggs have been obtained and brought 

 home from East Siberia. Its chief breeding-grounds are 

 the Arctic regions of North America and the north of 



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