82 The Zoologist — February, 1866, 



the hope of finding the eggs of this bird ; unfortunately the day was 

 rather wet and foggy, which prevented me seeing any great dis- 

 tance, and these birds are so wary that their nest is at all times 

 difficult to discover. I saw plenty of birds, but think they had 

 scarcely beguti to lay : I failed to discover their eggs, but was amply 

 repaid, in seeing on that fine wild expanse of hill, almost in one view, 

 the raven, black and red grouse, lapwings, curlews, snipe, and a great 

 number of our larks and smaller birds. Another season I trust 1 shall 

 be more successful, and am also in hopes that I shall discover the 

 whimbrel breeding in that locality. 



Whimhrel (Numenius phajopus). — Several specimens have been met 

 with in this county, but it is my present opinion that it is much more 

 rare than the curlew. 



Redshank (Totanus calidiis). — Occasionally met with, but by no 

 means common. 



Green Sandpiper (Totanus ochropus). — Frequently obtained, and 

 at almost every season of the year. Mr. Henry Sliaw informs me that, 

 whilst fishing in Coudover Brook one day the summer before last, he 

 came upon a pair of these birds, which, from their actions, had 

 evidently a nest somewhere near. He searched the rushes and rank 

 herbage by the side of the stream, but of course in vain : had he 

 known at that time that the most probable locality was in the deserted 

 nest of a crow, he might have had the great satisfaction of adding 

 this bird to the list of those that breed in the county. 



Common Sandpiper (Totanus hypoleucos). — Very common on the 

 River Teme near Leintwardine, from which locality I have often 

 obtained the eggs. It arrives early in April, and appears to be pretty 

 generally distributed over the various rivers and streams in the 

 county. 



Greenshank (Totanus glottis). — I have met with this bird on two or 

 three occasions, always in the autumn. I saw one fly up from a small 

 pond last August. It is usually very wild and difficult to approach, 

 and exceedingly strong on the wing, mounting up to a great height in 

 the air when disturbed. 



Blacktailed Godwit (Limosa melanura). — Not often met with so 

 far inland, and has rarely been obtained in this county. 



Bartailed Godwit (Limosa rufa). — Much oftener met with than the 

 preceding bird. It has been killed several times in Shropshire. Lord 

 Hill has a good specimen in his collection, of a male bird in winter 

 plumage, killed at the Twemlows. 



