218 
SCOLOPACID^. 
the end of which time only, they had all fallen singly to the gun. 
In another autumn, a similar number were pursued as long with- 
out one having become a victim. About the 1st of September, 
1843, eleven greenshanks, together with a number of knots, 
grey plover, and dunlins were killed at one shot here, with a 
swivel-gun. 
The greenshank is readily known, on the shore, from the most 
nearly allied species — the redshank — by superior size ; its note, 
too, though generically similar, at once distinguishes it from that 
bird. It sounds like the word twee, prolonged, and uttered 
moderately slow, three times. The redshank’’s note is often 
uttered singly, but occasionally so frequently as five times, and 
then usually in a hurried manner. The two species sometimes 
associate : I have known two greenshanks and twenty-three red- 
shanks to fall at one discharge from a shoulder-gun. Although 
the latter is a wary and restless bird, the former is still more 
so, as I have had the opportunity of judging when they were 
feeding in company ; the most trivial sound from a distance 
alarms it. On the oozy banks and gravelly shore of Belfast Bay, 
the greenshank may be observed feeding busily — wading very 
deep in search of its prey, — its partiality for the fresh- water 
rivulets that course through the mud-banks at low water being 
manifest. On the borders of Larne Lough, I have observed it 
feeding. A few specimens, shot in the months of November, 
December, January, and Bebruary (17th), in the north of Ireland 
(at Coleraine, Belfast Bay, and Strangford Lough) — have come 
under my notice, but none have yet in the later spring months. 
In autumn and winter, the greenshank is met with regularly in 
little flocks, consisting of about six individuals, in Dublin Bay,^ 
and I have seen two specimens which were shot there in the 
month of March, in different years. Brom August until about April, 
small numbers are said to frequent Cork harbour; in Bantry 
Bay they have been observed ; and two or three may be daily 
seen, during the winter months, flying up and down the stream 
* Mr. R. Ball, and Rev. G. Robinson. 
