236 snipe. 



Greater Plover of Aldrovand, Will. Engl. 298. Ch. IV. §. I. 



Greenshank, Gen. Syn. v. 147. Id. Sup. 245. Br. Zool. ii. No. 183. Id./ol. 121. 

 pi. C. 7J. 1812. ii. p. 55. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 379. Beicick, ii. pi. p. 86. Lewin, 

 iv. pi. 163. Id. pi. xxviii. f. 1. — the egg. Wale. ii. 142. Orn. Diet. 



SIZE of the Redshank; length fourteen inches, breadth twenty- 

 four and a half; weight six ounces. Bill two inches and a half 

 long, black, and slender; the upper mandible straight, but inclines 

 downwards at the tip, the under curves in the same manner upwards ; 

 head, hind part of the neck, and back, pale ash-colour, marked 

 down the shafts with brown, the last deepest on the back, and oc- 

 cupying most of the middle feathers ; over the eye a streak of white; 

 scapulars like the back ; lower part of the back, and all the under 

 parts from the breast, white ; quills dusky, spotted on the inner 

 webs with white, the five outer ones darkest ; tail white, crossed 

 with dusky bars ; legs dusky green, pretty long, the outer toe 

 united to the middle one as far as the first joint. 



This species is sometimes in tolerable plenty on our coasts, being 

 met with in small flocks in the winter season, as well as in the 

 marshy lands in the neighbourhood of the sea, when they are found 

 in the London markets. In general depart in the spring, but some 

 few remain throughout the summer, and breed here. The egg is 

 rather less than that of the Redshank, but not unlike it, pale rufous 

 brown, covered all over with dusky, purple spots ; most, and largest 

 at the greater end, but twice as numerous as in that of the Red- 

 shank, for the whole shell is nearly covered : the summer residence 

 is for the most part northward, as they inhabit Sweden, and other 

 parts; and in plenty in Russia and Siberia; well known in France 

 and Italy, extending to Spain and Burbary ; observed in flights, and 

 now and then on the shores, about Gibraltar, but is less common 

 than many of its congeners ; is found both in India and China. In 

 the former known by the name of Chaha. 



Inhabits likewise the Isle of Java, and there called Benongchang. 



