THE WADERS 



443 



identification of the bird when it passes 

 over one's head at such a height that 

 no other means of recognition are pos- 

 sible. It is never so numerous here as 

 the Curlew, nor does it stay to breed 

 with us. 



Two other birds very similar to one 



may be met with at any season of the 

 year ^singly or in flocks on the sea 

 coast in autumn and winter, or breed- 

 ing on our coast-hne and inland marshes, 

 where many pairs still build their well- 

 concealed nests amidst the grass and 

 rushes, during the spring and summer 



THE CURLEW. 



another, but slightly smaller than the 

 foregoing, are the Black-tailed and Bar- 

 tailed God\\its, which are sixteen and 

 fifteen inches in length, respectively. The 

 rarer Black-tailed bird is much longer on 

 the leg than the Bar-tail, whose beak is 

 slightly curved upwards, whilst in the 

 other species it is nearly straight. The 

 rump of the Black-tail, too, is white, 

 whereas the smaller bird has the whole 

 back uniformly coloured with light and 

 dark brown markings, and might, were 

 it not for the very distinct difference of 

 the beak, be easily mistaken for a small- 

 sized Whimbrel. Neither species now 

 breeds here, and only occurs regularly 

 at spring and autumn migration. 



Greenshank and Redshank may be 

 taken together, although the former is a 

 rare bird compared with the latter, which 



months. The incessantly uttered breeding 

 cry — " tew-tew-tewy " — of this bird in 

 flight, when alarmed, is as unmistakable 

 as its white rump and secondary wing 

 feathers are noticeable. As its name im- 

 plies, its legs, as well as its beak, are 

 reddish orange in colour. During the 

 breeding season I ha\'e often observed 

 both it and the Common Snipe perching 

 on marsh rails or on the dead bough of a 

 tree ; and the Green Sandpiper st)metimes 

 also indulges in the same somewhat un- 

 expected proceeding. When on the sea- 

 beach or saltings. Redshanks flock together 

 or consort with other waders ; but the 

 larger Greenshank is a much more solitary 

 bird, being generally met with singly. 

 It is much wilder, too. and longer on the 

 leg than the Redshank, and, hi flight, 

 looks very white, especially if the sun be 



