171 



such as the loach and the smelt, insects, worms, shrimps, 

 and several crustaceous and molluscous animals. 



The note is uttered both on the wing and when perched 

 on the ground or a twig. It sounds like the word 'tea-ah, 

 tea-ah!' repeated two or three times in quick succession: the 

 voices of several together are rather melodious. 



The nest is a small hollow, with a few fragments of heath 

 or grass placed within it. 



The eggs, of a pear shape, as in the kindred species, are 

 four in number, of a very pale yellowish green colour, 

 sprinkled all over with irregular spots of dark brown and 

 blots of light purple grey, with fewest of either on the 

 smaller end. 



Male; weight, about six ounces; length, about one foot or 

 over, to one foot two; bill, about two inches long, slender, 

 and slightly curved upwards. It is nearly black at the tip, 

 and bluish green over the base; a dusky streak extends from 

 its base to the eye, and spreads over the head on the sides 

 in small spots, commingling with those of a larger size on 

 the upper part of the breast and the sides; iris, rather dark 

 brown. Head on the crown, neck on the sides and back, and 

 the nape, dusky, with paler edges to the feathers; in winter 

 the ground colour is pale bluish grey, the latter-named with 

 the shafts and centres of the feathers dusky; chin, white. 

 Throat and neck in front, white, slightly streaked with grey; 

 breast, white, on the sides streaked with grey; back above, 

 greyish brown, the feathers edged, more finely in winter, with 

 buff white; in the early summer plumage the ground colour 

 assumes a greenish or bluish black tint; below it is white. 



The wings have the first quill feather the longest. Two 

 white bands are formed across them by the white tips of the 

 greater coverts. They expand to the width of two feet and 

 an inch; greater wing coverts, grey brown, glossed with green, 

 edged triangularly, and in winter finely pencilled, with buff 

 white, the former become towards summer varied with dark 

 spots; lesser wing coverts, also greyish brown. Primaries and 

 secodaries, uniform dusky black, the inner webs of some 

 spotted with white; in winter dusky on the upper edges. 

 Tertiaries, also dusky greyish or brownish black, tinged with 

 green, edged triangularly, some of them on both webs, with 

 buff white. In the breeding plumage they become darkly 

 spotted. Tail, white, the middle feathers barred across, and 

 the outer one striped longitudinally with greyish white; upper 



