210 SCOLOPACIIWE. 



of its feathering, and its peculiarly beautiful red, long, and 

 slender legs, which shew off as much when on the ground 

 as in flight. Its attitude when walking is very graceful and 

 elegant : when running, it moves about with a wonderfully 

 light step, hardly touching the ground with the ball of its 

 feet. It rarely runs, unless it is provoked so to do. It wades 

 up to its belly, reaching its head down under water at full 

 length, but does not dive or swim by choice. The flight of 

 the Redshank is generally performed with quick motions of 

 the wings, which are not opened at full length, although 

 the bird floats frequently some distance on the wing 

 during the pairing season, in fine, still weather. When 

 alighting it is very beautiful to see this bird, just before 

 coming to the ground, turn up its wings, as pigeons are 

 known to do, and shewing thus the white under-surface. 

 The Redshank is at most seasons a very shy bird, never 

 hiding among herbage, but frequently seeking its safety in 

 remaining motionless among the uneven surface of the boggy 

 ground it frequents : but when in open and flat situations, 

 the attempt to approach this bird with the view of killing it 

 by a gun-shot is vain ; for under such circumstances it takes 

 wing in good time, and flies high to a great distance beyond 

 pursuit. It has already been remarked, that the present 

 species rarely migrates in flocks, unless they are young birds, 

 for it is a rare circumstance to see more than three or four 

 adult birds together. The call-note of the male Redshank, 

 during the pairing season, sounds like the word dliddle, 

 dliddle ! at other times only dg<e, dga. ! 



It is not difficult to keep the Redshank in confinement in 

 a sheltered place, or a walled garden where no voracious 

 quadrupeds, such as cats or vermin, can molest it, and 

 where it can feed itself plentifully on worms. The food 

 of the Redshank, in a natural state, consists in aquatic 

 insects, beetles, worms, and grasshoppers, &c. : by the sea- 



