THE GREEN-SHANK. 149 



Description. 



The large wing feathers are black, the shafts 

 white, with a broad bar of white running along the 

 middle of the three first feathers ; the rest of the 

 row, and those also of the next have reddish ash- 

 coloured edges and tipt; the lesser covert fea* 

 thers are of the same colour as the body. The 

 tail feathers are alternately crossed with black and 

 white lines. The legs of a dusky greenish colour, 

 and the claws black. 



They feed by the sea-side upon sandy shores ; 

 down like the gull. The throat and neck of the 

 hen are grey, and the rump white, speckled or 

 powdered with blackish spots. They are in some 

 places called the stone plover. 



THE GREEN-SHANK. 



THIS is not so common as the godwit ; it is 

 about fourteen inches in length ; the bill two 

 inches and a half long. The plumage on the 

 upper parts is a brown ash colour ; on the lower 

 parts white ; and it has a broad white stroke ex- 

 tending from the bill to the eye: the legs are 

 green, whence it takes its name. It has the same 

 manners and character as the godwit, and has 

 also a white line over the eye: but does not 

 weigh more than half as much. 



