. BIRDS MET WITH BY THE WILDFOWLER 345 



to ditches filled and emptied at every tide than a broad, flat 

 expanse of mud, and by walking quickly along a ditch he may 

 often be closely approached and watched as he probes the soft 

 ooze for worms, shrimps, sand-hoppers, or anything that may 

 come handy. At the least sign of danger, however, he is off", 

 calling out as he rises and displaying a very conspicuous white 

 rump. Although fond of the society of others of his kind, his 

 wild flight soon breaks up the family party, and by the time 

 he reaches our shores in August and September it is reduced 

 to twos and threes. The abundance of food on the shore has 

 not been without its effect, and he is at this time of year 

 exceedingly fat — doubtless a wise provision, as both old and 

 young are moulting and migrating, which must be a serious 

 tax on their system. Their sojourn with us is short, and by 

 the beginning of October most of them have gone, and their 

 ringing "tui-tui " no longer enlivens the shore. In April they 

 will return, but they are then anxious to reach their summer 

 home, and brief as is their visit in autumn it is still shorter in 

 spring, and we must travel to Scotland or farther north to see 

 them in their homes. 



The adult in summer has the back and secondaries black, 

 some of the feathers being margined with grey ; rump white ; 

 head and neck white, tinged with grey and streaked with dark 

 brown. Under parts white, with a few blackish streaks on the 

 throat and upper breast. In winter the back is greyer and the 

 under parts are pure white. The female has the upper parts 

 less conspicuously marked than the male. The young are 

 browner on the back, and have the feathers on the back mar- 

 gined with tawny, and chest and flanks pencilled finely with 

 dark grey. Length about 13 in. 



