228 BRITISH BIBDS' ^^EHTS. 



dusky at the j^oint and reddish at the base. Irides 

 hazel. Crown, nape, back and wmg-coverts greyish- 

 brown, spotted and streaked with black ; secondaries 

 tipped with white ; primaries nearly black. Rump, 

 tail-coverts, and feathers white, the last barred 

 with dusky black. Over the eye is a wdiite streak, 

 and from the gape to the eye a dusky brown 

 one. Chin, throat, breast, and nnder-surface of 

 the body greyish-white, spotted and streaked with 

 brownish-black. Legs and toes red ; claw^s black. 

 The female resembles the male, but is larger. 

 Situation and Locality. — On the ground, in a 

 little hollow or depression, sheltered by an over- 

 hanging tuft of coarse grass or heather, or in the 

 crown of a rush-root, generally well concealed ; in 

 fen, marsh, and boggy districts on the swampy 

 shores of mountain tarns and lochs ; in the eastern 

 counties of England ; also in suitable parts of 

 Scotland and Ireland. 



Materials. — A few blades of grass or bits of moss ; 

 often nothing at all. 



Eggs. — Four, much pointed at the smaller end ; 

 ground colour varying from pale straw to huffish- 

 brown, spotted and blotched with rich dark brown, 

 and underlying markings of light brown and grey. 

 Size about 1-78 by 1-23 in. Distinguished by the 

 buff ground colour and bold blotches. 

 Time. — iVpril and May. 



Fieniarlis. — Resident, but subject to local move- 

 ment. Notes : alarm, a shrill, discordant cry, 

 resembling took or tolh. Local and other names : 

 Redshank Sandpiper, Pool Snipe, Red-legged Horse- 

 man, Sandcock, Red-legged Sandpiper, Teuke. Sits 

 lightly, and when incubation has advanced, resorts 

 to various alluring tricks to decoy the intruder 

 away from her eggs. 



