379 



I have never heard of its remaining to breed here, 

 although it does do so in many counties in England 

 and Scotland, and as it is also occasionally killed in 

 the winter months it appears to be at all events 

 partially resident in England. 



The food of the Kedshank consists of worms, 

 aquatic and other insects and vegetables,* beetles, 

 grasshoppers, and also portions )t'vV33h aul 

 mosses ; t small stones and pebbles are also found 

 in the gizzard. 



The nest is placed on the ground, and is generally 

 very carefully concealed amongst long grass or rushes, 

 the long bents being twisted over it so as to conceal 

 the nest. 



The plumage of the Redshank, like that of many 

 of the Waders, varies very considerably at different 

 periods of the year and ages of the bird. The beak 

 is black at the point, dark red towards the base ; 

 irides brown ; from the base of the beak to the eye 

 is darkish ash-grey, over this and over the eye is a 

 rather indistinct white mark; the top of the head, 

 back of the neck, back and scapulars ash-grey, some 

 of the feathers slightly margined with white ; the 

 wing-coverts are ash-grey, spotted on the margins 

 with white and dusky ; the primary quills are dull 

 dusky, nearly black; the tertials are brownish, 



* * Zoologist ' for 1863, p. 8829. 



t Meyer's 'British Birds,' vol. iv., p, 210. 



