310 CHARADRIID^ 



inland. Like most other Arctic-bred ' waders,' the immature 

 birds, on their first arrival, are almost regardless of man's 

 presence. They are very gregarious, and a gathering of 

 several hundreds on the slob-lands is a most interesting 

 sight. Viewing them from a few yards I have noted how, 

 at one time, they will all stand motionless, supporting them- 

 selves each on one leg, with their heads so sunk between 

 their shoulders as to give them the appearance of a number 

 of scattered grey stones. I have observed the newly arrived 

 and fatigued birds sleeping in the bright sunshine of the 

 noon-day, their beaks buried in their soft and puffed-out 

 feathers. Drawing closer I have so disturbed their slumbers 

 that numbers have hopped away from me (each on one leg) 

 preparatory to taking flight. Suddenly they rise, and 

 winging their way, appear to go off, but not so ; they circle 

 round and return to the self-same spot, and having alighted 

 commence to feed actively on the slimy ooze. It is well- 

 known that immature Knots, even when repeatedly shot at, 

 will return to the ground from which they have been driven, 

 a fact that the greedy and heartless shore-shooter only too 

 readily avails himself of, when indulging in the wholesale 

 slaughter of these innocent shore-birds. 



At high water they collect into great compact masses 

 and rest on sand-banks or patches of grass, uncovered by 

 the tide. Oyster-catchers, Ringed Plovers, and other 

 ' waders ' frequently accompany them. From Dunlins, San- 

 derlings, and other small grey shore-birds, they may be dis- 

 tinguished by their larger size : the Redshank has much 

 longer legs and feet. 



Flight. The Knot exhibits great power and velocity on 

 the wing. Its long, pointed pinions are admirably adapted 

 for the immense distances covered on migration. The 

 ' swishing ' or ' rushing ' sound of several hundred wings 

 as the birds pass overhead is as audible at eighty yards 

 distance as the hissing of steam escaping from a loco- 

 motive. Beautiful aerial evolutions, comparable to those 

 performed by the Dunlin, may be witnessed, especially in 

 the spring, when the birds are massing together preparatory 

 to moving northward. 



Food. The food, sought for by day as well as by night, 

 consists largely of small shell-fish, especially gasteropods 

 with pointed spiral shells ; these I have found in abundance 

 in several stomachs examined. Some of the shells measured 

 6 mm. in length. Worms, insects, and seaweeds, are also 



