RED-LEGGED SANDPIPER. 
137 
deep yellow band : the wing-coverts are dusky brown, 
edged and tipped with yellowish-white : the throat 
is whitish, varied with small brown dots : the sides of 
the neck are ash-coloured, with very straight longi- 
tudinal brown rays : the belly, sides, and vent are 
white ; the two latter and the tail-coverts are spotted 
with brown : the tip of the tail-feathers is reddish : 
the beak is livid at its base and brown at its tip : the 
legs are yellowish-orange. 
This species is found in various parts of Europe, 
and is tolerably plentiful in this country ; residing 
the greatest part of the year in the fenny countries, 
where it breeds and rears its young : it makes a 
slight nest with coarse grass upon a tump in the 
moister parts or most boggy places, and begins to 
lay early in May : when disturbed it is very clamo- 
rous, making an incessant shrill piping note, and 
flying round its nest in a circular direction : its eggs 
are four in number, of a yellowish-green, spotted 
with brown, especially at the larger end. The Red- 
shank is of a solitary character, being mostly seen 
alone or in pairs only : it pines in confinement : it 
lives upon insects (but rarely touches the coleopterous 
ones) and worms. 
