44 COMMON BRITISH BIRDS 



SANDPIPER. (S.M. Plovers and Snipes.) 



Size. Blackbird. 



Colour. Above, pale brown with arrow-shaped 

 markings of black on feathers. Below, white with a 

 few dark spots on chest. Tail barred with blackish, 

 tipped with white, the outer feathers being nearly all 

 white, the white decreasing until the middle feathers 

 only have a narrow tip. Bill rather long, but not so 

 long as that of the snipe. 



Note.' Teet, teet,' or ' peep, peep.' 



Distinguishing Feature. The pale-brown back and 

 white under parts. A graceful bird with slender leg=, 

 often seen running along the margin of a lake or stream, 

 especially where there is dry shingle or sand. Often 

 when disturbed flies away, just skimming the surface 

 of the water, uttering ' peep, peep,' and shows a white 

 margin to inside of wings and round tip of tail. 



Nest. A shallo K depression among the pebbles and 

 shingle. 



Eggs. Buff-white, with dark-brown and grey spots 

 and blotches. 



Haunts. Sides of lakes and rivers. 



SHRIKE, RED-BACKED. (S.M. Shrikes.) 



Size. Large Sparrow. 



Colour. Head grey, black streak across eye to ear- 

 coverts, back chestnut-red, wings brown, tail black 

 and white, under parts pinkish. 



Note. Not musical chiefly a ' chack, chack.' 



Distinguishing Feature. The reddish back, grey 

 head, and black streak over ear -co verts. The beak is 

 hooked at the tip. 



Nest. Moss, dry roots and grass, lined hair, rather 

 rough. 



Eggs.' White or greenish-white, reddish and grey 

 spots, rather variable. 



Haunts. Very locally distributed. Has a curious 

 habit of impaling beetles and other insects on thorns, 

 hence sometimes called the ' Butcher Bird.' 



SISKIN. (Chiefly known as a winter vi.sitor, 

 Finches.) 



Size. Smaller than Sparrow. 

 Colour. Male : head and throat black, back g/en 



