244 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



to short distances inland, and returning again to their feeding- 

 places with singular punctuality. 



It is a very noisy bird. Its cry is extremely musical, and 

 so loud that it may be heard in still weather for upwards of 

 a mile. "When feeding on the mud it frequently jumps 

 up in order to thrust its bill with the greater force into it, 

 constantly nodding and bobbing its head and running with 

 great celerity from spot to spot. Its food consists of small 

 worms and Crustacea. The Hedshank still breeds in a few 

 places in Sussex, such as Pevensey Level, whence I have 

 received its eggs within the last few years. 



In Yarrell's B. B. (vol. iii. p. 471) we find the following : — 

 "^ The nest is Avell described by Col. W. V. Legge, who says 

 that it is well concealed in the centre of a green tuft of 

 grass, the blades of which are carefully bent over the top, 

 and the openings, by which the bird enters and leaves the 

 nest, being closed up on her quitting it, — only a few tracks 

 in the surrounding herbage betraying its existence.^^ 



It is not now much valued for the table, but we find 

 iu ' The Earl of Northumberland's Household Book ' 

 (p. 105) : — " Item, Redeshankes to be bought at Principall 

 Feestes for my Lordes own Mees after j'^ ob. the pece.'^ 



In some Natural History Notes made by Mr. G. O. Rope 

 during his stay at Iken, on the River Aide, in the spring of 

 1888 {' Zoologist,' 3rd s. pp. 327, 328), he states :— '^ Apair 

 of Redshanks very clamorous to-day (May 16), at the top of 

 the cliff, having evidently young ones close by ; they kept 

 alighting from time to time on the top of one of the oaks 

 overhanging the saltings, uttering all the time their loud 

 and impressive alarm notes. It is a common practice with 

 these birds, when they have young about the saltings, to 

 alight on these trees; and should anyone chance to pass 

 nearer than they like to the chicks squatting among the 

 rushes, several pairs of Redshanks may often be seen to- 



