KNOT 



119 



as the New Siberian Islands. In winter the species visits the West 

 Indies and parts of South America, Africa, Australia, and New 

 Zealand, but is replaced in India and China by the eastern knot. To 

 the British Islands this bird is a spring and autumn visitor, which, like 

 so many other waders, makes its appearance much more abundantly 

 in the latter than in the former season, its numbers being, of course, 

 increased by the young ; it is also considerably less wild in autumn 

 than in spring. In Ireland, where it is sometimes seen in large flocks, 

 the knot is much more abundant on the east 

 and north coasts than on those of the west 

 and south. 



Its relatively large size, coupled with the 

 short black beak and legs, and the white 

 axillary feathers barred or freckled with black, 

 serve to distinguish the knot at all seasons 

 of the year. In the summer-dress the under- 

 parts, except for the white middle of the 

 abdomen and white under tail-coverts barred 

 with brown, are chestnut ; this chestnut also 

 prevailing on the upper-parts, where it forms 

 the margins to black feathers ; the lower part 

 of the back and the upper tail-coverts are 

 white with a tinge of chestnut. In winter 

 the under-parts are white flecked with grey, 

 and the upper-parts ashy grey. Young birds 

 in first plumage show a colouring more or 

 less intermediate between the summer and 

 winter dresses of their parents, the upper 

 surface of the body being mottled with black 

 and white, and the under surface tinged with buff and spotted with 

 dusky brown. The down of the chick is white thickly mottled above 

 with dark grey and black, while the head shows one dark streak run- 

 ning from the beak to the eye, and a second along the side of the face 

 below the eye. 



In common with the sanderling and certain other species which 

 resort to the most remote Arctic regions where the summer is of the 

 briefest, the knot lingers late on the British shores, where it may often 

 be seen till May, before starting for its breeding-grounds, and returns 

 early. Tidal harbours form the chief English resorts of this bird, 

 where, as stated in an earlier paragraph, it often consorts with dunlins, 

 the two species feeding together on the flats of sand or mud, and resting 



KNuT isL.MMKk;. 



