be represented by the syllables ' turr-ee-oo, turr-ee-ooj repeated rapidly 

 over and over again. 



Inland the food of the Redshank consists of small worms, insects, 

 grubs, and tiny shells, and occasionally the small shoots of marsh plants ; in 

 winter chiefly marine creatures are devoured, sandvvorms, molluscs, and small 

 crustaceans. 



The Redshank commences nesting operations early in April, and eggs 

 may be obtained till well on in May. I have taken fresh eggs of this species 

 in Morayshire in the second week of June. It is rather a sociable bird during 

 the breeding-season, and numbers of its nests may be found in one small patch 

 of ground. The males at this season may often be seen sitting on the tops 

 of fence-posts or on stone walls, bowing and strutting like Ruffs, and spreading 

 their tails. Sometimes they will fly round and round their sitting mate, 

 uttering a trilling cry, clear and ringing ; this they do chiefly in the evenings. 



The nest is placed on the ground in the middle of some tuft of grass, or 

 under the shelter of some plant of marsh-marigold or tuft of heather. They 

 are generally very artfully hidden by the grass, which hangs over them. Very 

 little lining is used ; the centre of the tuft is usually pulled out and trodden 

 down to form a cup for the reception of the eggs, and is sometimes lined 

 with a few scraps of reed, bent, or tiny pieces of heath, or a dead leaf or two. 

 The nest is usually in a damp place, seldom far from water. Four eggs are 

 laid, rather large for the size of the bird as is the case with most of the 

 Waders, nearly always pyriform to an unusual degree. They vary in ground- 

 colour from rich yellowish buff to pale buff, sometimes slightly suffused 

 with a greenish tinge, and are blotched, spotted, or streaked with rich dark 

 brown surface-markings and pale brown and purple grey under-markings ; 

 some specimens have a few wavy streaks round the large end of the egg. 

 Most specimens have the largest blotches on the big end of the egg, but a 

 few specimens have this order reversed. I have also seen an egg with such 

 faint markings that on first sight it appeared spotless. Some specimens are 

 most beautifully marked, and have a purplish tinge. They vary from i'85 to 

 i '65 inch in length, and from 1*35 to 170 inch in breadth. 



Young in down have rich buff upper parts mottled with black and pale 

 buff under parts. Only one brood is reared in the year. 



8 



