tHE KNOT i6i 



THE CURLEW SANDPIPER 



TRINGA SUBARQUATA 



Bill curved downwards, much longer than the head. Winter — upper tail- 

 coverts and all the under parts white ; upper plumage ash-brown, 

 mottled with darker brown and whitish ; breast the same colours, but 

 much lighter ; bill black ; iris brown ; feet dusky. Summer — crown 

 black, mottled with reddish ; under plumage chestnut-red, speckled 

 with brown and white ; much of the upper plumage black, mottled with 

 red and ash. Length seven and a half inches. Eggs yellowish, with 

 brown spots. 



This bird, called also the Pigmy Curlew, is of about the same size 

 as the far commoner Dunlin, from which it is distinguished not 

 only by the difference in the colour of its plumage, but by the greater 

 length of its beak, which is curved downwards. Pigmy Curlews 

 are observed from time to time in this country at the periods of 

 autumn and spring, and it is said that a few remain with us to 

 breed, but their nest and eggs have never been detected. In their 

 habits they resemble the Dunlins, from which they may readily 

 be distinguished, even when fl3^ng, by their white upper taU- 

 coverts. They are of wide geographical range, but nowhere 

 abundant, and visit us on passage in spring and autumn. 



THE KNOT 



TRINGA CANtJTUS 



Beak straight, a little longer than the head, much dilated towards the tip ; 

 tail even at the extremity ; a small part of the tibia naked. Winter — 

 throat and abdomen white ; breast and flanks white, barred with ash- 

 brown ; upper plumage ash-grey, mottled with brown ; wing-coverts 

 tipped with white ; rump and upper tail-coverts white, with black 

 crescents ; bill and legs greenish black. Summer — streak over the eye, 

 nape, and all the under plumage, rusty-red, the nape streaked with black ; 

 back streaked and spotted with black, red, and grey. The upper 

 plumage of young birds is mottled with reddish bro^vn, grey, black, and 

 dull white ; legs dull green. Length ten inches. Eggs unknown. 



The Knot, WiUughby informs us, is so called from having been 

 a favourite dish of King Canutus, or Knute. It is a migratory 

 bird, visiting the coasts of Great Britain early in autumn, and 

 remaining here till spring, when it retires northwards to breed. 

 During the intervening months it keeps exclusively to the sandy 

 or muddy seashore, assembling in small flocks, and mixing freely 

 with Dunlins, Sanderlings, and Purple Sandpipers. Some authors 

 state that it feeds principally early and late in the day, and during 

 moonlight nights ; but I have seen it on the coast of Norfolk in 

 winter feeding at all hours of the day in company with the birds 

 mentioned above, and differing little from them in the mode of 

 obtaining its food. But I remarked on several occasions that, 



