SCOLOPACID^. 349 



This species, somewhat larger and with a longer bill and longer legs 

 than the Common Redshank, is only a rare autumnal straggler to the 

 S.W. counties, and although we have frequently had extra tine examples 

 of the latter bird forwarded to us in the belief that the)' were Spotted 

 Redshanks, it was not until October 1891 that we received the first 

 undoubted specimen of the bird from Xorth Devon, which had been shot 

 ou the Barnstaple river after the heavy gales which blew at the middle 

 of that mouth. This was a young bird in immature plumage. Over a 

 dozen specimens have been secured in the south of the county. 



Montagu mentions one killed in South Devon in the month of August, probably 

 the example that was in the British Museum irom his collection. Dr. Edward Moore 

 records one shot in the Humoaze, IS'uTember 1S2'J (Mag. A'at. Hist. 1837, p. ?»19). 

 One procured at Kingsbridge in 1S42 is now in the collection of the late Mr. J. 

 Elliot of that town. Three specimens were obtained on the Topshaui mud-flats in 

 August 1S.51 ; these we saw soon after they were shot, and they are recorded bv Mr. 

 W. Tombs in the 'Naturalist' for 18.52, p. 19. One of them is in the A. M. M. 

 One was killed at Plymouth, August 24th, 18.58 (B., MS. Notes). Mr. Byne had a 

 specimen said to have been shot at Slapton Ley in 1864. Mr. Cecil Suiith had one 

 in winter plumage shot at Teiginnouth (' Birds of Somerset,' p. 37(3). Mi'. J, Gatcombe 

 mentions one killed in February 1874 at the mouth of the I'iver Erme in perfect 

 winter plumage (Zool. 1874, p. 394.5). Mr. E. A. S. Elliot shot a male, together with 

 two Greenshanks, two Common Eedshanks, and two Dunlins, August 24th, 188.5; 

 and on August I8th, 1890, he killed two, both females, out of a flock of four on the 

 Kingsbridge estuary (MS. Notes). 



In Cornwall the Spotted Redshank is occasionally met with ou the 

 marshes in the autumn, and Mr. Rodd received one from the Scill}- Isles. 

 During our residence at Weston-siiper-Mare we examined two, both 

 immature birds, shot in the autumn, which had been obtained by the 

 side of ballast-pits adjoiniug the Great Western Railway. Col. Montagu 

 received one from his friend Mr. Anstice, of Rridgwater, which had been 

 shot out of a small flock near that town in September. Mr. Mansel- 

 Pleydell can only mention three examples, all obtained in September iu 

 various years, for his county of Dorset. 



The plumage of the Spotted Redshank varies greatly according to age 

 and the time of year. The adults in their breeding-plumage are sooty 

 black below, with backs of the same colour, the feathers margined with 

 white, and pure white upper tail-coverts ; the tail sooty black, with 

 numerous white bars ; and are singular-looking birds. The time of their 

 assumption of this dark dress seems greatly to vary, as the blackest bird 

 we ever saw is one we possess which was shot by the Rev. Marcus Rickards 

 at I'agham Harbour, in Sussex, oth ^farch, l.STO, whereas two other fine 

 adults in our collection, obtained from IS^orfolk at the end of May, are far 

 from being in as complete nuptial plumage. The immature birds are 

 more or less brown all over, with a wliite patcli at the top of the throat, 

 and in their ccmi)lete winter plumage the adults are ash-grey on tlie '»ack, 

 with the underparts pure white. 



The Spotted Redshank ]>reed3 in Xorway, Lapland, &c., and its beautiful 

 pyriform eggs are the delight of collectors, from their extreme richness 

 of colour. 



