TOTANUS FUSCUS. 14] 
TOTANUS FUSCUS (Linneus). 
SPOTTED REDSHANK. 
I expect that henceforth the Spotted Redshank will always start 
up in my memory at the first mention of Lapland. It is so peculiar 
to the country, so remarkable in its appearance in summer, and so 
often calling attention to itself by its striking actions—whilst my 
ignorance of its nest and eggs for a whole year after my arrival in 
the far north kept up in me during that time the liveliest interest 
concerning it. A bird with so much character was easy to talk 
about. I soon found that it was known amongst the people by 
several names, all more or less expressive; and in my drives about 
Finland and into Norway during the winter, I had heard from so many 
quarters accounts of its nesting peculiarities that I only waited for 
its return here to see them confirmed. It does not keep one long in 
suspense. It comes as soon as the snow is off the ground, and lays 
its eggs with very little delay. At this time one may hear a singular 
call in the marshes which the Finns express by the sound reevat, 
corresponding to a word in their language meaning an evil spirit, 
and one of the names of the bird is taken from it—a name always 
spoken with a spiteful emphasis by Reindeer-stalkers, for this 
Rivattu* is.as mischievous to them as a Grey Crow to a Highland 
forester, or a Gull to a seal-shooter. But the cry with which it spoils 
their sport is “ feuty,’ and from this another name is derived, 
generally coupled with [musta] the distinctive epithet corresponding to 
black, or with one { palo} meaning burnt wood—but whether this last is 
taken from the colour of the bird, or from a common place of resort 
for it, or from both, I am not sure. Certain it is that this black 
bird not unfrequently lays its eggs in a part of the forest which has 
formerly been burnt ; and here is one of its most unexpected singu- 
larities—a marsh-bird choosing the driest possible situation, even hills 
of considerable height and covered with forest-timber. I have myself 
seen two nests so placed, and one of them at least was on ground 
which from the charred wood lying about had evidently been burnt at 
some former period. They were nearly at the top of long hills, many 
hundreds of yards from any marshy places, [ with] good-sized fir-trees 
on all sides; but they were not in the thickest parts of the forest, 
and the vegetation on the ground about was very scanty, diminutive 
1 [Properly Riivattu, rendered by Linnrot (Finskt-Svenskt Lexikon, ii. p. 405) 
rasande, besatt, fortrollad, fordéimd, or frantic, possessed (by an evil spirit), 
bewitched, damned.—Ep. } 
