138 BULLETIN 146;, UNITED STATES ISTATIOlsrAL MUSEUM 



Young. — Both sexes have incubation patches and from Chislett's 

 (1923) observations, confirmed also by Hantzsch, both share in the 

 work. The only note we have as to the length of the period is that 

 of Hantzsch (1905) who gives it as three to three and one-half weeks. 

 In the case of a nest watched by Chislett the first two young hatched 

 were led away by one bird while the other continued to incubate. 

 This was on June 23 and the following day was cold with a high 

 wind. The third chick wandered from the nest and was sometimes 

 brooded by the incubating bird, which left the fourth egg for that 

 purpose, but she never seemed thoroughly at ease except when cover- 

 ing both ^^'g and chick. By the following morning the last chick 

 had hatched out. Only one brood is reared in the season. 



Plumages. — The plumages and molts are fully described in A 

 Practical Handbook of British Birds edited by H. S. Witherby 

 (1920). 



Food. — This species feeds largely on earthworms, and also during 

 the winter months on sandworms (Arenicola). Insects are also 

 freely taken, chiefly beetles (Coleoptera), but also Orthoptera, especi- 

 ally earwigs (Forflcula) and crickets (Acheta), larvae of flies (Dip- 

 tera) etc. During the breeding season many small land mollusca 

 are eaten, especially snails {Helix ericetorum), slugs {Limax agres- 

 tris), etc., and in the autumn, marine mollusca, both univalves and 

 bivalves. Small Crustacea, including small crabs, shrimps {Cran- 

 gon) and Gammaridae are also freely taken and the berries of moor- 

 land plants such as Empetrum nigrum (cfowberry) and Vacinium 

 myrtillus. 



Behavior. — The boldness of this species in defending its nest has 

 already been referred to. It has been frequently seen to attack and 

 drive off birds much larger and more powerful than itself, such as 

 the raven and the larger gulls. During the winter months it ap- 

 pears to be less of a shore feeder than the curlew, frequently visiting 

 the inland marshes in preference to the mud flats and shores. Chis- 

 lett (1923) describes its gait as quite different to that of the curlew, 

 its progress being much more rapid and direct. Instead of ap- 

 proaching the nest in a leisurely way -with many detours and pauses, 

 it walks with rapid, jerky strides, almost directly to its objective. 



Enemies. — The large gulls and skuas, though often successfully 

 driven off when approaching singly, are often successful in destroy- 

 ing the eggs or young where present in numbers and the enormous 

 increase in the numbers of the great skua in the Shetlands has proved 

 very detrimental to this species. In Iceland the Arctic fox is also 

 an enemy to be counted with and the crow tribe (raven and hooded 

 crow) are always ready to take advantage of any chance opportunity. 



Fall. — The young are fledged according to Hantzsch (1905) within 

 a month of hatching and about the beginning of August begin to 



