20 RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



by the parent bird. Amidst the sharp and pro- 

 longed " pee-wit " uttered by some half dozen pairs 

 around us on the wing, we hear the very different 

 and more musical note of the Redshank — "teeou- 

 too, teeou-too-too " — and soon catch sight of one 

 topping a reed bed and flying, not unlike a Snipe, 

 away from the intruder As we proceed, another 

 and another starts up, one of which, hovering over 

 a post-and-rail fence, descends lightly on the top of 

 one of the posts, where it remains for some seconds 

 curtseying and nodding in all directions, until, at 

 our continued approach, it again takes wing, and for 

 a time disappears from view. The sight of so 

 many in this particular part of the marsh fills us 

 with the expectation and hope of finding a nest, and 

 we have not far to search before discovering three, 

 distinguishable from those of the Peewit by having 

 rathermore materials, more neatly puttogether. The 

 eggs to the unwary are sufficiently like " Plovers' 

 eggs " to do duty for them in a basketful, but they 

 are really smaller, more pointed at the narrow end, 

 with a paler ground colour blotched with reddish- 

 brown instead of black. Four is the full comple- 

 ment, and, when these are laid and incubation 

 has fairly commenced, the birds become very noisy 

 on being disturbed, and very reluctant to leave the 

 spot, flying round and round the intruder, like 

 Lapwings, 



The old English name of " Pool Snipe " bestowed 

 upon the Redshank is a most appropriate one, for 

 it is one of the most characteristic ornaments of a 

 marsh pool in May. In autumn, when the young 



