282 
Allen’s naturalist’s library. 
Range outside the British Islands. — The breeding-area of the 
Green-shank extends from Great Britain to Scandinavia, 
Northern Europe generally, and Northern Asia to the Stanovoi 
Mountains in Eastern Siberia. In winter this species visits 
South Africa, India, and China, and even reaches Australia, 
passing through the intervening countries on its passage. 
Hahits. — I have always found the Green-shank a very shy 
bird, and extremely difficult to whistle within range. The few 
specimens which I was able to procure in the tidal harbours of 
the south coast have always been birds of the year, and I have 
never seen the species in flocks, but always singly. Nor have 
I seen it consorting with Red-shanks or other shore-birds. It 
nests on hilly ground, and in the breeding-season is as wary as it 
is during its migration to and fro in England. Its food consists 
of the usual fare common to waders, but from its large size it 
is able to capture prey unattempted by its smaller relations. 
Thus tadpoles and frogs have been discovered to form part 
of its diet, anJ even small minnows have been found in its 
stomach. 
Nest. — Sometimes built in a tuft of grass, or concealed 
amongst the heath and short herbage ; it is, according to Mr. 
Seebohm, very slight, being a mere depression in the ground, 
lined with a few bits of dry grass or withered leaves. 
Eggs. — Four in number, and like large Wood-Tattlers’ in 
appearance. The ground-colour varies from creamy-buff to 
deep clay-brown. I'he spots and blotches are deep chestnut, 
often blackish, and, as a rule, congregated round the larger 
end of the egg. When distributed over the surface of .the 
latter they are smaller, and are accompanied by numerous 
little dots and freckles, and the underlying grey spots and 
blotches are almost as much in evidence as the dark over- 
lying ones. Axis, i-8-2'i inches; diam., i'25-i‘35. 
THE SUMMER-SNIPES. GENUS TRINGOIDES. 
TringoideSy Bp. Saggio distr. Met. An. Vert. p. 58 (1831). 
Type, T. hypokucus (Linn.). 
The Summer-Snipes, of which our “ Common Sandpiper,” 
as it is usually called, is the type, belong to the short-billed 
section of the Tattlers. The bill is not so long as the tail, 
