TOTANINJE. TOTANUS. 
98 
The Tattlers are birds of small or moderate size, which 
frequent the shores of the sea, lakes, marshes, and rivers ; 
feed upon worms, insects, Crustacea, and mollusca ; have a 
rapid, light, rather wavering flight, and in their habits gene- 
rally resemble the Longshanks, being equally remarkable 
for their timidity, vociferousness, and the balancing motion 
of their bodies. They are met with in all parts of the world. 
Four species occur in Britain. 
197. Totanus fuscus. Dusky Bedshank Tattler. 
Adult with the basal half of the bill red, the other half 
brownish-black, the feet orange-red; the secondary quills 
black, barred with white. In winter, the upper part of the 
head and hind-neck brownish-grey ; the fore part of the back 
greyish-brown, streaked with dusky, its hind part white ; the 
tail and its coverts barred with white and dusky ; the cheeks 
and fore-neck greyish-white, faintly streaked with grey, the 
rest of the lower parts white. In summer, the head, neck, 
and lower parts, greyish-black, the feathers slightly edged 
with whitish ; those of the fore part of the back, and the 
wing-coverts, blackish-brown, marginally spotted with black 
and white; the other parts as in winter. Young with the 
base of the upper mandible dusky, the feet orange, the upper 
parts blackish-brown, the feathers edged with triangular white 
spots, the hind part of the back white, streaked with dusky. 
Male, 12*, 23, 6f, 2*, 2*, 1*, f. 
Of rare occurrence in England and Ireland during the win- 
ter season, but not yet observed in Scotland. Being in its 
winter plumage so very similar to the next species, it is liable 
to be mistaken for it. 
Spotted Snipe. Spotted Kedshank. Dusky Snipe. Dusky 
Bedshank. Dusky Sandpiper. Cambridge Godwit. Bed- 
legged God wit. 
Scolopax fusca, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 243. — Scolopax fusca, 
atra, Cantabrigiensis, Curonica, and Totanus, Lath. Ind. Qr- 
nith, 721, 724, 738. Totanus fuscus, Temm. Man. d’Ornith. 
ii. 639. — Totanus fuscus, Dusky Bedshank Tattler, MacGilli- 
vray, Brit. Birds, iv. 
198. Totanus Calidris. Grey Bedshank Tattler, 
Adult with the basal half of the bill red, the other half 
brownish-black, the feet orange-red, the secondary quills 
