COMMON REDSHANK. 207 



1866. May 20th. A pair in the possession of the 

 Rev. M. A. Mathew, of Weston Super-mare, for the 

 knowledge of which I am indebted to Mr. J. E. Harting-, 

 were killed on Breydon in full summer plumage, with 

 other scarce migrants. 



1867. October 5th. An adult bird killed at Yar- 

 mouth. 



TOTANUS CALIDRIS (Linnaeus). 



COMMON EEDSHANK. 



That the shy clamorous Eedshank should still fre- 

 quent our marshes during the breeding season, to be 

 classed as a resident as well as a migratory species, is 

 but another proof of the affection of these wild races 

 for their long accustomed haunts. Drainage and culti- 

 vation, by changing alike the nature and the aspect 

 of the soil, has more effectually banished the redshank 

 and the snipe, in very many localities, than years of 

 indiscriminate egging* had been able to accomplish, 

 and that such is the case was evinced in a very 

 remarkable manner in the great " flood" year of 1852-3, 

 when some thousands of acres in the " Fen " district 

 were laid under water, by the bursting of the river bank 



latter year Mr. F. Hele, of Aldeburgh, in Suffolk, recorded in the 

 " Field " of September 16tli, the occurrence of a pair at Thorpe 

 mere, " very rare in that neighbourhood." 



* Mr. Lubbock, speaking of the wholesale robbery of the lap- 

 wing's nests, says, " Nearly a bushel of eggs have been gathered 

 by two men in a morning, principally from this bird; but the 

 redshank, the reeve, and various terns were also put under con- 

 tribution, their eggs, though smaller, being equal in point of 

 flavour ; and being less inclined to lay again and more impatient 

 of the theft than the lapwing, this system of robbery did them 

 much more harm." 



