Thk Commoji Sasdpipeu. BIRDS. The Stilt. 
asliy-brown, with the primaries nearly black, the rump 
white and the tail barred with gray ; the lower surface 
is white, with a few diisky streaks. In summer the 
back and especially the wings are spotted with brown- 
ish-black, and the lower surface is streaked and spotted 
with black. The bill is dark-red with the tip black, 
and the feet are red. During the winter the Redshanks 
are seen in flocks on the sea-shore, seeking small marine 
animals by probing with their bills into the wet sand 
and mud ; for the breeding season they resort to inland 
marshes, moors, and heaths. The nest is composed of 
a little coarse grass. Like many other wading birds 
the Redshank swims with facility. 
THE COMMON SANDPIPER {Totanus hypoleucus) is 
a summer visitor to this country, arriving in April and 
taking its departure again in September. It is also 
known as the Summer Snipe. It is about seven inches 
and a half in length ; its colour above is greenish- 
brown, with a blackish bar on each feather; the pri- 
maries are nearly black ; the breast is a pale-ash colour 
streaked with black, and the rest of the lower surface 
pure white. This is a lively and active little bird, 
which frequents the margins of our rivers, lakes, and 
ponds, where it runs nimbly along on the gravel and 
mud, seeking for worms and insects. It is rarely seen 
on the coast. Its nest is composed of a little moss and 
a few dry leaves in the immediate vicinity of water; 
generally in a hole of the bank under the shelter of a 
tuft of rushes or grass, or at the root of a tree. The 
eggs are four in number. This species swims well, 
and even tlie young birds before they are able to fly 
will take to the water when threatened with any danger. 
They can even dive with facility and remain under 
water for a considerable time, coming up at a distance 
from the place where they went down , they are said 
to progress under water by the agency of their wings. 
THE GREENSHANK {Totanns Glottis) is another 
migratory species, which makes its appearance with 
us chiefly in the spring and autumn on its journey to 
and from the high northern latitudes in which it prefers 
to breed. Some specimens, however, remain with us 
through the summer, especially in the northern parts 
of Scotland. It is of an ashy-brown colour above, 
with the edges of most of the feathers buffy-white ; 
the primaries are black and the tail white, barred or 
striped with brown ; and the lower surface is white, 
with the neck and breast, and the sides under the 
wings, marked with ash-coloured streaks. The bill is 
black and the feet olive-green. This bird occurs in 
Europe, Asia, and North America, and generally in 
the vicinity of the coasts. 
THE AVOCBT {Recurvhostra Avocetta) — Plate 27, 
fig. 102 — is remarkable for the length of its legs and 
for the singular form of its bill, which is long, slender, 
and strongly curved upwards. It measures about 
eighteen inches in length, and its plumage is curiously 
pied with black and white. The toes are united by 
large membranes, but it does not appear to use its feet 
in swimming, as is done by some species not so well 
yn'ovided. The Avocet inhabits Asia and Africa, and 
visits Europe as a bird of passage ; it is rare in this 
countrjq but appears to have been more abundant 
formerly. It is sometimes seen on the coast, but more 
Voi,. I. S3 
417 
i 
frequently in marshy places on the borders of water in 
the interior , it walks about on the soft sand or mud, 
or wades deeply into the w'ater, poking about with its 
long, flexible, and curiously lormed bill in search of 
the worms, aquatic insects, and small crustaceans on 
which it feeds. The nest is made in a small hole in 
the ground, and the bird is said to lay only two eggs. 
THE STILT {Himantopus melanopterus), also called 
the Long-legged Plover, is especially remarkable 
for the immense length of its slender legs, which appear 
quite out of proportion to its little body. It is nearly 
allied to the Avocet, but has a straight bill ; and the 
posterior toe, which is small in the Avocet, is m the 
present bird entirely wanting. The back and wings 
are nearly black, with a slight green tinge ; the 
remainder of the plumage is white, the bill is black, 
and the feet are pink. The length of the bird is about 
thirteen inches. This species is found in Europe, 
Africa, and Asia ; it is a l are visitor to this country. 
THE AMERICAN STILT {Himantopxis nigricollis), a 
bird very nearly allied to the last species, but distin- 
guished from it by its black head and neck, is found on 
the Atlantic coasts of North America in company with 
the American Avocet. During the breeding season it 
associates in small parties of six or eight pairs, which 
make their nests, at a short distance apart, amongst 
the thick tufts of grass on the dry ground near the salt 
marshes frequented by them. The nests are composed 
of dry grass, twigs, and similar materials, and as the 
birds sit they continually add to the height of their 
nests, probably with a view to protect the eggs or 
young from any acciilental rising of the water above 
its ordinary level. Several other species of Stilts are 
known ; they are scattered over all parts of the world. 
THE RUFF {Philomaclivs pugnax). The male of 
this species is adorned during the breeding season with 
a large quantity of feathers, springing from the head 
and throat and forming a large ruff, which is capable 
of being raised or depressed at the pleasure of the bird, 
hence its ordinary English name. The females, which 
are called Reeves, are destitute of this ornament. This 
bird is rather more than ten inches in length ; the 
feathers of the upper surface are black, broadly mar- 
gined with ash-colour and brown ; those of the neck 
and breast are still more broadly edged with grayish- 
white, and the remainder of the lower surface is white. 
The Ruff inhabits most parts of Europe in the sum- 
mer, but is most common towards the north ; it is also 
found in Asia and Northern Africa, and performs a 
regular migration in spring and autumn. In this 
country it is met with in the fen districts, where it 
breeds, but is much less common here than formerly 
It is polygamous in its habits, and the males fight with 
the greatest ferocity and determination. 
THE KNOT {Tringa Canutus), unlike the preceding 
species, is a winter visitor to this country, where it is 
not an uncommon bird from autumn to spring. It 
does not appear ever to breed in any part of the British 
islands, but resorts to very high northern latitudes for this 
purpose. Like a good many other birds which have 
this habit, it is common to both hemispheres, of which 
it seems to inhabit all the northern parts. The Knot 
is about ten inches in length, and in the summer its 
