LoBErFoot. GRALLATORES. LOBIPES. 167 
shore; and in the former element also its food is obtained, 
consisting of water insects, vermes, and molluscous animals*. Food. 
In England, we only know this bird as a rare visitant during 
the period of its migration, and but few instances of its cap- 
ture are on record. It is, however, plentiful in the north- Rare visi- 
eastern parts of Europe, and in Northern Asia, as well as in engi 
North America, where its polar migration, as in the two 
first mentioned quarters of the globe, extends to a very high 
latitude. Its nest is made in the grass, and other herbage Nest, &c. 
not far removed from the edge of the water, and its four 
eges are of a deep oil-green colour, thickly spotted with 
black. On the approach of autumn, and after the young 
have attained sufficient strength, these birds leave their 
breeding stations in the Orkneys, and the higher northern 
regions, and migrate, for the winter season, to the shores of 
the Baltic, and other eastern parts of Europe. 
PiaTE 28*. Fig. 1. represents it in the summer plumage. 
Crown of the head, nape and hinder part of the neck, General 
sides of the breast, and streak behind the eyes, ash- fea 
grey. Sides of the neck marked with an irregular patch Summer 
of orange-brown. Throat, middle of the breast, and plumuige: 
all the under parts white; except the flanks, which are 
dashed with ash-grey. Back and scapulars black ; the 
feathers being deeply margined with ash-grey and red- 
dish-brown. Wing coverts blackish-grey ; the greater 
ones terminated with white, and forming a bar across 
the wings. The two middle tail-feathers black ; the 
rest deep ash-grey, margined with white. Bill black ; 
legs and toes greenish-grey ; the lobes upon the anterior 
joint of the toes extending a little beyond the tip of the 
* According to Mr Buxtock, who had frequent opportunities of observ- 
ing this bird, during an excursion to the Scottish Isles, it swims with the 
greatest ease, looking on the water like the beautiful miniature of a duck, 
and carrying its head close to the back, similar to the Teal. He also found 
it very tame, and so little alarmed by the report of a fowling-piece, as to 
permit him to fire repeatedly, without its moving from the spot. 
