OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 271 



assist in the duties of incubation, and only one brood is reared in 

 the year. Sometimes the sitting bird remains brooding on the 

 eggs until nearly trodden upon, and then hurriedly rises and 

 begins to feign lameness to allure the intruder away. In spite of 

 the fact that this species often breeds at some distance from the 

 sea, the birds appear always to come to the coast to feed. 



Diagnostic Characters. — Tringa, with the rump and upper 

 tail coverts nearly black, and the seventh to the ninth secondaries 

 nearly white. Length, 8 inches. 



