206 OUR RARER BIRDS 



animals, such as sand-worms, shrimps, mollusks, and even on 

 stranded starfish and little crabs. I have taken remains of 

 small black beetles from their stomachs. 



By the middle of May most of the Knots have deserted 

 our mudflats and maritime marshes, and sped northwards to 

 the arctic regions for the summer. They lose no time on the 

 way, and must begin breeding soon after they arrive. The 

 summer in those latitudes, if bright and sunny, is remarkably 

 short ; besides, the young birds reach our shores amongst the 

 very earliest of the autumn migrants. Of the habits of this 

 bird at its breeding grounds I know nothing from personal 

 observation; but its young in down are exceedingly pretty 

 little creatures, grayish-yellow, mottled with black and brown 

 tints probably of greatest service in concealing the chick 

 from its many enemies. There can be little doubt that in the 

 number and colour of its eggs, and in its nesting economy 

 generally, the Knot does not differ from its close allies. The 

 Knot is remarkable for the great difference in colour of its 

 summer and winter dress. In winter it is grayish-brown on 

 the upper parts, and nearly uniform pure white on the under 

 parts ; but in spring the former portions of its plumage are 

 black and chestnut, and the latter become deep reddish- 

 chestnut. 



The Greenshank (Totanus glottis], distinguished from its 

 allies by its uniform brown secondaries, breeds sparingly 

 in the wildest districts of the Highlands and the Hebrides. 

 It is one of our most local summer migrants, best known 

 during the seasons of passage, when it is fairly common on 

 the low-lying coasts. It arrives in April and May, and the 

 southern flight extends through September and October. In 

 many of its habits it resembles the Eedshank. Its haunts 

 are the moors and desolate islands, especially those where 

 there is an abundance of water and swamp. It feeds on 

 insects, crustaceans, worms, and even small fish. Late in 



