THE DUSKY AND COMMON REDSHANKS. 
135 
These are the true Tattlers — the typical birds of the 
family — and all the others, if not counterfeits, may be 
looked upon as ' poor relations' only. The variety of names 
applied to them shows that naturalists are much divided 
as to the place they should occupy in systems of arrange- 
ment. They are called by some Snipes, by others Godwits, 
by others again, Sandpipers and Eedshanks. Linnaeus places 
them, two in his genus Scolopax, two in Tiinga, and other 
authorities here and there and everywhere ; but Macgilli- 
vray says TotanuSj agreeing with Flemming, Selby, Jennings, 
and others; so Totanus let it he. And now for a slight 
description of this quartette of Tattlers. 
The Dusky Eedshank, or, as Yarrell calls it, the Spotted 
Eedshank, is a long-billed, slender-legged bird, which some- 
times visits this country in the spring, on the way to its 
breeding grounds in high northern latitudes. It has not 
then assumed the dark plumage, covered with irregular 
white spots, from Avhich one of the above names is de- 
rived, but has a dress of ash grey and v/hite, with black 
shadings here and there. The whole length of the adult 
male is a little over twelve inches, the female is somewhat 
larger ; both have red legs. Of its habits but little ap- 
pears to be known, although they are no doubt similar to 
those of other birds of its family. In Europe it has been 
traced from Scandinavia to Denmark, Holland, France, 
Spain, and Italy, a naturalist of which last country says, 
that its short double note resembles the sound of the word 
chi'O, chi-o. Temminck states that this species is found in 
Bengal, and Gould mentions having received news of it 
from Asia. American naturalists have not admitted it into 
the fauna of that quarter of the globe. 
The Common Eedshank has, throughout the year, a 
plumage which closely resembles the winter dress of the 
last species, which also it is much like in form. It resides 
throughout the year in many parts of Britain, being by no 
means uncommon in Cornwall, DevonsWre, and Dorsetshire. 
Montagu speaks of Eumney Marsh, in Kent, as one of the 
breeding places of the bird in his time, and it is so now. 
It is also known to breed in several parts of Scotland, and is 
found in the more northerly of the English counties, as well 
