300 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
Total length, lo inches; culmen, i'5; wing, 6*2; tail, 2’45J 
tarsus, i' 65. 
Adult in Winter Plumage. — Differs from the summer plumage in 
being more uniform both above and below. The upper sur- 
face is dark ashy-brown, the wing-coverts and inner secondaries 
are also uniform brown, excepting for a few whitish notches and 
bars at the end of the greater coverts and on some of the inner 
secondaries ; otherwise the quills and tail-feathers are the same 
as in the summer plum.ige ; throat and underparts white ; the 
sides of the face and lower throat narrowly streaked with 
blackish ; the fore neck, chest, and sides of breast uniform 
ashy-brown; the sides of the body, flanks, and under tail- 
coverts white, with wavy bars of blackish-brown ; the centre of 
the breast also mottled with a few spots and bars of brown ; 
bill dark brown ; feet yellow ; iris dark brown. 
Young after First Moult. — Similar to the winter plumage of the 
adults, but more spangled above, with reddish-brown edges to 
the feathers, and white or fulvous notches or bars on the wing- 
coverts and inner secondaries; under surface of body with 
triangular spots of brown on the fore-neck and breast, and the 
sides of the body irregularly barred with brown. 
MestUug. — Reddish above, longitudinally streaked with black ; 
the sides of the crown and sides of face buff, with a black line 
through the eye ; down the centre of the crown rufous, with a 
median line of black ; the nape and hind neck for the most 
part black ; down the back a central line of black mesially mot- 
tled with buff, and on each side of the back a broad line of pale 
buff intersected by a line of black. 
Characters. — The present species is easily told from the 
other Tattlers by its white rump and w'hite inner secondaries. 
No other species of Totanus offers the above combinations of 
characters. 
Eange in Great Britain. — The Red-shank breeds in suitable 
places throughout the greater part of the United Kingdom, 
affecting the marshy country, especially on the Broads and near 
the coast rivers. It nests less commonly in Wales, and is rare 
on the outer Hebrides, but occurs nearly everywhere else, either 
as a nesting species or as an autumn visitor to the coasts and 
