150 REDSHANK. 



reflections, which are more distinct towards summer; nape in 

 winter, grey brown. Chin, white in summer, with a few small 

 specks of brown in winter; throat, white, in winter greyish 

 white, with narrow brown shaft lines; breast above, white, 

 slightly streaked; and in spring more spotted and streaked 

 on the sides with brownish black; below white; back above, 

 in spring and summer, greyish brown, with some darker 

 feathers, and tinged with olive; in winter grey brown, with 

 darker shaft streaks; on the lower part in winter, white, or 

 with small dusky specks. 



The wings have the first quill feather the longest, they 

 expand to the width of one foot nine inches; the greater 

 wing coverts are in spring, brownish black, with olive reflec- 

 tions, margined with white on the edges, more strongly 

 marked in summer; in winter, greyish brown, margined with 

 white; lesser wing coverts, brownish olive in summer; in 

 winter greyish brown; primaries, dusky; in winter almost 

 black; secondaries, dusky, tipped with white; tertiaries, dusky 

 margined with white; in spring and summer varied with spots 

 of brownish black, and more distinctly so in summer. The 

 tail, of twelve rounded feathers, the centre ones, which are 

 greyish white, being the longest, and giving it somewhat of 

 a wedge-shape, is in winter white, barred across with dusky 

 grey; the upper tail coverts transversely barred with blackish 

 brown and white; under tail coverts, white, in winter with a 

 few slight dusky marks along the shafts of the feathers. 

 Legs, long, and, as the toes, red, in winter paler; their colour 

 is conspicuous both on the ground and in flight; the three 

 front ones are partially webbed, the first and second nearly 

 to the second joint, the second and third only very slightly; 

 claws, black. 



After the young are left to themselves the winter plumage 

 begins again to be assumed. 



The female is like the male, but somewhat larger; length, 

 about eleven inches. 



The young of the year, previous to the assumption of the 

 winter plumage, have between the bill and the eye a large 

 patch of brown, the base of the bill yellowish, the eyebrows 

 white. Neck on the back and nape, grey ash-coloured brown; 

 the feathers with yellowish margins; throat, white, with fine 

 streaks of grey; breast, cinereous, with narrow brown streaks; 

 back, grey ash-coloured brown; the feathers with yellowish 

 margins. The tail with the tips reddish. 



