486 SCOLOPACID^l. 



by Macgillivray, has been already described, and since his 

 time numerous ornithologists have made the acquaintance 

 of the bird in its breeding-haunts. Although, as stated, 

 the nest is frequently at some distance from water, or 

 even between dry hillocks amongst scattered pine-trees, as 

 described in Gottland, yet it is often quite close to the edge 

 of a loch. Mr. T. E. Buckley mentions (Pr. N. H. Soc. 

 Glasgow, v. p. 144) finding one at Altnaharra in Sutherland- 

 shire, containing three eggs, between two stones close to the 

 edge of a loch, on the 24th May, 1869 ; and on passing the 

 same place on the 26th May, 1871, he remembered the 

 occurrence, and looked between the same two stones, when 

 there was the Greenshank sitting so close on four eggs, 

 that she did not move until touched with the point of a 

 fishing-rod. The eggs, four in number,* are of a warm 

 stone-colour, sometimes with an olivaceous tinge, blotched 

 with purplish-grey, and spotted with dark brown, especially 

 at the larger end; they average 1-9 by 1'3 in. When the 

 young are hatched the old birds are very bold and vociferous, 

 coming down close to the intruder's head with a swoop, and 

 then shooting up into the air almost perpendicularly. As 

 soon as the young can fly, they join in flocks, and come 

 down to the shores. 



The Greenshank feeds on the fry of fish, worms, beetles, 

 insects of various species, and small crustaceans and mol- 

 lusks. Like the Curlew, it often visits meadows and seeks 

 its food among the cow- droppings. Its flesh is excellent, as 

 was long since observed by Pallas. Its note is a loud chee- 

 weet, chee-weet ; and its flight is strong and rapid, like that 

 of most of its congeners. Similar is its habit of perching 

 on trees, especially during the love-season. 



The beak of the Greenshank is about two inches long, 

 nearly black, and very slightly curved upwards*)* ; the irides 

 hazel ; the upper part of the head, the cheeks, the neck 



* Mr. Dresser says (B. Europe, viii. p. 141) that Mr. Booth told him that he 

 once took eight Greenshank's eggs out of a nest in Sutherlandshire : doubtless 

 the produce of two females. 



f Owing to this peculiarity, the Greenshank has had a genus, Glottis, assigned 

 to it by Nilsson. 



