430 SANDPIPERS AND RELATED SPECIES 



from the sea-level. The nest is a hollow in the mossy ground, and the only lining 

 a few bits of moss, bents, or leaves. The eggs are normally four in number, and 

 are pyriform in shape, varying in colour from pale greenish or distinct light green 

 to olivaceous or buff, spotted and blotched with dark brown or deep reddish brown 

 and purplish shellmarks. It is not at all uncommon to find the colours of the 

 spots " running," showing signs of rotation in the oviduct. Average size of 54 eggs, 

 1-44 x 1-02 in. [36-8 x 26-1 mm.]. Both sexes take part in the work of incubation, 

 but the male takes the greater share. A female was, however, shot from the nest 

 by the Rev. H. H. Slater in Iceland. In the Fseroes the usual time for eggs is from 

 May 20 to June 20, but in exceptional years somewhat earlier, and farther north 

 fresh eggs may be found in July. Only one brood is reared in the season. 

 [F. c. R. J.] 



5. Food. In inland nesting-places, insects especially small beetles, flies 

 of various kinds and their larvse, and seeds of plants. On the shore, small 

 crustaceans, molluscs especially young mussels and periwinkles found among 

 seaweed on rocks, and the insects that breed in the seaweed on the drier rocks. 

 The young are accompanied and aided by both parents in their search for food, 

 which consists chiefly of insects and their larvse. [w. F.] 



KNOT [Canutus canutus (Linnaeus) ; Tringa canutus Linnaeus. Dunn ; school- 

 bird (Lanes.). French, becasseau maubeche ; German, Islandischer Strand- 

 Idufer ; Italian, piovanello maggiore]. 



i. Description. The knot may always be recognised by its relatively short, 

 straight beak, short legs, square tail, and white upper tail-coverts relieved by more 

 or less distinct concentric lines of black. The sexes are alike, and there is a striking 

 seasonal change of coloration. (PL 125.) Length 10 in. [254 '00 mm.]. In the 

 " summer " or nuptial dress the crown and hind-neck are heavily striated with 

 black on a background of light bay, the interscapular region has the appearance 

 of being covered with black scales having rich bay margins, and when seen "end 

 on " the edges of the scales give the appearance of longitudinal stripes. The 

 scapular feathers have each a heavy, arrow-shaped longitudinal band on a back- 

 ground of bay. The lower back is ash-grey, but the upper tail-coverts, in the most 

 brilliantly coloured birds, are red tipped with white, and with a subterminal bar 

 of black. The wings rarely, if ever, assume the bright colours of the rest of the 

 plumage, the coverts being mostly ash-brown margined with white, but interspersed 



