LONG-BILLED RUNNING BIRDS. 263 



broadly black and white — make it easy to identify, 

 the long, slender, reddish bill and the stumpy tail 

 placing it beyond doubt. It rises only when com- 

 pelled, to flutter with dangling legs a short way ere 

 dropping into the first available cover. Usually a 

 silent bird, it becomes garrulous in the breeding 

 season, uttering what has been defined as a loud, 

 groaning ' Cro-o-o-an ! ' besides a liquid ' Wheel ! ' 

 principally heard at evening. 



MOORHEN— 13 inches. Setting aside the Redshank, a 

 bird quite distinct in form and habit, the Moorlaen is 

 the only other red-billed bird commonly frequenting 

 marshy spots ; but besides being considerably larger, it 

 is of a generally blackish plumage, with white at the 

 sides of the body and a white patch beneath the tail. 

 The red bill, however, is short. 



NOTE TO 'LONG-BILLED RUNNING BIRDS.' 



OYSTER-CATCHER.— 16 inches. A humpbacked, pointed- 

 winged shore-bird, with bright-red legs and very long, straight, 

 bright-red bill, using loud, piping note ; a great runner at times, 

 but because at all times boldly black and white, described under 

 • Black-and- White Birds.' 



