148 KEDSHANK. 



me. In Oxfordshire on the Isis, near Bampton. In Derbyshire 

 small parties occur in the winter near Melbourne. They are 

 met with in Orkney and Shetland throughout the year. 



In Ireland they are very plentiful in Dublin Bay, and 

 have been obtained in other parts of the county of Wicklovv. 

 They occur likewise in Scotland, in Forfarshire, on the banks 

 of the Solway, at Southerness, and Sutherlandshire, on the 

 banks of Loch Doulich and Loch Naver, also near Lairg, and 

 indeed in all the marshy parts of the hills. 



In the winter they frequent the sea shore, delighting in the 

 sandy or muddy flats which are in many places left uncovered 

 by the falling tide of the 'ever sounding and mysterious main;' 

 and in spring they repair to fenny places and marshes, and 

 the borders of lakes, ponds, and pools. 



They travel northwards in the months of March and April 

 to their breeding haunts j and southwards from July to the 

 end of September. They move in the evening or by night, 

 the adult birds singly or in pairs, the younger either in families 

 or flocks. It is rare to see more than three or four old ones 

 together. The former are said to progress farther northwards 

 than the latter. They are shy birds, and sometimes try to 

 escape notice by remaining motionless under cover of the 

 uneven surface of the ground. 



In running along the sands they exhibit a dipping motion, 

 as may be seen in other birds of the class. 'The ordinary 

 posture of the young Redshank is with the head sunk back 

 between the shoulders, the back of the neck being bare of 

 feathers.' This species is tamed without much difficulty. 'Its 

 attitude when walking is very graceful and elegant; when 

 running it moves about with a wonderfully light step, hardly 

 touching the ground with its feet. It rarely runs, unless it 

 is provoked to do so. It wades, reaching its head down 

 under water at full length, but does not dive or swim by 

 choice. The flight of the Eedshank is generally performed 

 with quick motions- of the wings, which are not opened at 

 full length, although the bird floats frequently some distance 

 on the wing during the pairing season, in fine still weather. 

 When alighting, it is very beautiful to see this bird, just 

 before coming to the ground, turn up its wings, as pigeons 

 are known to do, and shewing thus the white under surface.' 



They frequent the same spots, and take the same flights 

 clay after day, and resting on the margin at full tide assemble 

 again on the rocks as soon as left uncovered. 



