THE KNOT 261 
THE CURLEW SANDPIPER 
TRINGA SUBARQUATA 
Bill curved downwards, much longer than the head. Winter — upper tail- 
coverts and all the under parts white; upper plumage ash-brown, 
mottled with darker brown and whitish; breast the same colours, but 
much lighter; bill black; iris brown; feet dusky. Summer—crown 
black, mottled with reddish; under plumage chestnut-red, speckled 
with brown and white ; much of the upper plumage black, mottled with 
red and ash. Length seven and a half inches. Eggs yellowish, with 
brown spots. 
Tuis bird, called also the Pigmy Curlew, is of about the same size 
as the far commoner Dunlin, from which it is distinguished not 
only by the difference in the colour of its plumage, but by the greater 
length of its beak, which is curved downwards. Pigmy Curlews 
are observed from time to time in this country at the periods of 
autumn and spring, and it is said that a few remain with us to 
breed, but their nest and eggs have never been detected. In their 
habits they resemble the Dunlins, from which they may readily 
be distinguished, even when flying, by their white upper tail- 
coverts. They are of wide geographical range, but nowhere 
abundant, and visit us on passage in spring and autumn. 
THE KNOT 
TRINGA CANUTUS 
Beak straight, a little longer than the head, much dilated towards the tip; 
tail even at the extremity; a small part of the tibia naked. Winter— 
throat and abdomen white; breast and flanks white, barred with ash- 
brown; upper plumage ash-grey, mottled with brown; wing-coverts 
tipped with white; rump and upper tail-coverts white, with black 
crescents; bill and legs greenish black. Summey—streak over the eye, 
nape, and all the under plumage, rusty-red, the nape streaked with black ; 
back streaked and spotted with black, red, and grey. The upper 
plumage of young bivds is mottled with reddish brown, grey, black, and 
dull white; legs dull green. Length ten inches. Eggs unknown. 
THE Knot, Willughby informs us, is so called from having been 
a favourite dish of King Canutus, or Knute. It is a migratory 
bird, visiting the coasts of Great Britain early in autumn, and 
remaining here till spring, when it retires northwards to breed. 
During the intervening months it keeps exclusively to the sandy 
or muddy seashore, assembling in small flocks, and mixing freely 
with Dunlins, Sanderlings, and Purple Sandpipers. Some authors 
state that it feeds principally early and late in the day, and during 
moonlight nights; but I have seen it on the coast of Norfolk in 
winter feeding at all hours of the day in company with the birds 
mentioned above, and differing little from them in the mode of 
obtaining its food. But I remarked on several occasions that, 
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