NATURAL HISTORY 



[Birds. 



before it begins to hatch, lines the inside of the nest with bits 

 of straw, bent, &c. and this is often observed as a token whe- 

 ther the eggs are fresh or not, for when the nest is quite finish- 

 ed the incubation is pretty well advanced. 



Species 2. The Redshank. 



K 



Redshank, or Pool-Snipe, Wil. Orn. 299. Raii Syn. Av. 107. Brit. Zool. 

 368. Scolopax Calidris, Lin. Sys. 245. Brit. Zool. Illus. tab. 16. Sib. Scot. 

 19- 



THE Redshank never migrates ; builds in the marshy hills 

 in summer, and retires to the sea-shores in winter. When 

 disturbed in summer, it flies about, making a faint noise, 

 something like that of a lapwing ; in winter it is found in the 

 hollows of the sea-beach, among the mud and slime, where 

 it lives upon sea-worms, and other insects. When any person 

 comes in sight, it is immediately upon the wing, and disturbs 

 every bird within hearing with its shrill screaming, so that it 

 often gets the hatred of the fowler, and loses its own life for 

 disappointing him of a better prey. 



I have observed it in summer in the marshes of Ireland (a 

 village so called), and in the wet hills between Kirk wall and 

 Holm, and it is no doubt found in other such like places of 

 the country. 



