REDSHANK. 
317 
year Mr. Farren found one near Burley, April 4th, with 
a single egg, and another, May 3rd, containing four, at 
Bishop's-ditch." ^ 
At the present time it is one of the most characteristic 
birds of the Forest, nesting commonly in marshy meadows 
and boggy places, especially near the sea; but as a 
breeding species it is confined to the New Forest district, 
and the southern part of the county. 
We take the following admirable description of its 
habits during the nesting-season, as observed on Beaulieu 
Heath, from Mr. W. H. Hudson's " Hampshire Days " : — 
" He rises a long way ahead, and wheeling about, comes 
towards me — he and she — and by-and-by a second pair, 
and perhaps a third ; they come with measured pulsation 
of the long, sharp, white-banded wings ; and the first- 
comer sweeps by and returns again to meet the others, 
clamouring all the while, calling on them to join in the 
outcry, until the whole air seems full of their trouble. To 
and fro he flies, to this side and that ; and finally, he 
sweeps down to alight on the topmost spray of some small 
tree or tall bush — not a furze but a willow ; and as it is an 
insecure stand for a bird of his long, thin wading legs, he 
stands lightly, balancing himself with his wings ; beautiful 
in his white and pale-grey plumage, and his slender form, 
on that airy perch of the willow in its grey-green leaves 
and snow-white catkins ; and balanced there, he still 
continues his sorrowful anxious cries — ever crying for me 
to go — to go away and leave him in peace. I leave him 
reluctantly, and have my reward, for no sooner does he 
see me going than his anxious cries change to that 
beautiful wild pipe, unrivalled, except by the curlew, 
among shore birds." 
' *' New Forest. 1862. 
