GREENSHANK.,

‘Totanus glottis, Bechst.

Le Chevalier aboyeur.

WE are not inclined to consider the upward curvature which the mandibles of this bird exhibit of sufficient

importance to warrant its separation from the genus Totanus
those upon which that genus was established ; for,
change in the colouring of its plum

, answering as the rest of its characters do to
like most of the species, it undergoes a slight periodical
age, the summer livery, which is varied with markings of dark grey,
particularly on the chest and flanks, giving place in autumn and winter to a uniform tint of white over the
whole of the under surface. It is in this latter stage that the bird is represented on our Plate.

In its habits
and manners also, as well as in the cir

cumstance of the sexes not being distinguished by the colouring
of their plumage, it is strongly allied to the two species of Redshank, which may be considered as typical
examples.

From the circumstance of the Greenshank having been lately added to the Fauna of America by that justly
celebrated ornithologist M. Audubon, it may be considered to possess a range scarcely equalled in extent by
any of the Sandpipers, as it is generally spread over the whole of India and Africa, nor is it less numerously
diffused over the countries of Europe. Although it does not make the British Islands either a place of
permanent residence or of incubation, still it is sufficiently numerous during its vernal and autumnal migra-
tions to be considered as strictly within the list of British species. In England it frequents the shores of the
sea and the mouths of the larger rivers: on the Continent, during the winter, it is common on the coast of
Holland, but less so on that of France ; it also occurs on the lakes of Switzerland and Germany, as well as
on the banks of the Rhine and other large rivers.

Its breeding-place must in all probability be looked for in the high northern latitudes, which form a place
of summer residence to so many other members of the family.

Its food consists of aquatic worms, insects, mollusca, and the small fry of fishes.

Top of the head and sides of the neck dull white, streaked with dusky brown; face, sides of the head,
throat, front of the neck, and all the under surface pure white; flanks streaked and rayed transversely with
light brown; upper part of the back, wing-coverts, tertials, and scapulars deep brown, tinged with purple ;
each feather margined with greyish white, and dotted with brown of a deeper tint; quills brownish black ;
the shafts of the first being white ; lower part of the back and rump white ; tail white irregularly barred with
brown ; bill brownish black ; legs and feet greenish grey.

The figure is of the natural size.