COMMON REDSHANK. 207 



1866. May 20th. A pair in the possession of the 

 Eev. M. A. Mathew, of Weston Super-mare, for the 

 knowledge of which I am indebted to Mr. J. E. Harting, 

 were killed on Breydon in full summer plumage, with 

 other scarce migrants. 



1867. October 5th. An adult bird killed at Yar- 

 mouth. 



TOTANTTS CALIDBJS (Linnaeus). 

 COMMON EEDSHANK. 



That the shy clamorous Redshank should still fre- 

 quent our marshes during the breeding season, to be 

 classed as a resident as well as a migratory species, is 

 but another proof of the affection of these wild races 

 for their long accustomed haunts. Drainage and culti- 

 vation, by changing alike the nature and the aspect 

 of the soil, has more effectually banished the redshank 

 and the snipe, in very many localities, than years of 

 indiscriminate egging* had been able to accomplish, 

 and that such is the case was evinced in a very 

 remarkable manner in the great " flood" year of 1852-3, 

 when some thousands of acres in the " Fen " district 

 were laid under water, by the bursting of the river bank 



latter year Mr. F. Hele, of Aldeburgh, in Suffolk, recorded in the 

 "Field" of September 16th, the occurrence of a pair at Thorpe 

 mere, " very rare in that neighbourhood." 



* Mr. Lubbock, speaking of the wholesale robbery of the lap- 

 wing's nests, says, " Nearly a bushel of eggs have been gathered 

 by two men in a morning, principally from this bird; but the 

 redshank, the reeve, and various terns were also put under con- 

 tribution, their eggs, though smaller, being equal in point of 

 flavour ; and being less inclined to lay again and more impatient 

 of the theft than the lapwing, this system of robbery did them 

 much more harm" 



