TOTANUS CAL] DRIS.
Redshank.

Scolopax calidris, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 245.
Totanus calidris, Bechst. Nature. Deutschl., tom. iy. ja). PANG),
——— littoralis et striatus, srehm, Vée. Deutsch] De O30" O37

Tringa gambetta et striatus, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. pp- 671, 672

— variegata, Brinn. Orne oy 1S,

Gambetta calidris, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst.. p. 54.

I know of no sound more exhilirating to the naturalist engaged in an expedition to the breeding-haunts of

this pretty species than that of its wild piping call, as it falls upon his ear when he first treads the shingly
spits or sandy embouchures of rivers which it has selected whereon to deposit its eggs and rear its young.
The restless males flit bere and there before him and perch, one on a stone, another ona gate, a third on the
gable-end of a deserted cottage, or fly around over his head, with their coral-red legs depending at right
angles to their bodies, or streaming out behind. During the month of May such scenes as these might
have been seen in the days of my youth in a hundred places between the shingly flats and morasses on the
coasts of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, from the mouth of the Thames to the Humber, but, according to Mr.
Stevenson, are not so frequently to be witnessed at the present time. Similar scenes present themselves in
many other parts of England, in some situations in Scotland, and still more numerously in Ireland. In winter
most of the low, flat coasts of the British seas constitute a favourable abode for it, the receding tides furnish-
ing it with an abundance of food, such as sea-worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and marine insects. Besides
incubating in the situations above described, the bird occasionally breeds far inland, in warrens, and on wet,
soppy commons. Premising that it is both a summer and a winter resident with us, I may state that it is also
an inhabitant of North Africa, Asia Minor, India, China, Formosa, and Japan.

Selby, Macgillivray, Yarrell, and indeed every writer on our native birds, from Montagu-to Stevenson,
have each wielded their pens respecting the Redshank ; what, then, can I have to add that is new? Shall I
not rather avail myself of part of the account given of it by Thompson, which Mr. Stevenson affirms is the
best that has yet appeared, with the addition of any remarks from other authors which may be of interest ?

“This bird appears to be much more numerous around the shores of Ireland than those of Great Britain ;
for even in the north it is very numerous in all kinds of weather, though autumn is the season of their greatest
profusion. Oozy shores covered with the Zostera marina seem to be preferred ; and this may possibly be at
least one reason of the great abundance of Redshanks on the Irish coast, where there are so many bays of this
description. But they are by no means limited to such localities. There is considerable variety in the nature of
the estuaries and loughs of Antrim and Down, Dublin Bay, Wexford, and Cork Harbours, the bays of Kerry and
Connemara, &c.; yet all are frequented by very great numbers. Even to the low and jagged rocky shore,
when exposed by the fallen tide, these birds are partial, minute crustacea and other objects which consti-
tute their food being plentiful in such places. This species appears in flocks in Belfast Bay early after the
breeding-season. On the 18th of July young birds have been shot ; and occasionally great numbers have
arrived before the end of the month. From this period they remain, without any diminution of their numbers,
except of those that may be killed ; and they are too wary to admit. of any great sacrifice in this manner, at
least with the ordinary gun. The most I have heard of being killed with it at one shot were twenty-five ;
but the swivel-gun sometimes makes awful havoc among them: 108 were killed at one shot early in September
1846 ; and a day or two previously 112 fell at a single discharge. When the flowing tide puts them off their
feeding-ground, rather than be driven within shot of any ambush on the shore, they adopt the Curlew’s
custom of retiring to rocky marine islets several miles distant. Thitber they follow the ‘ flights = Ot that
cautious bird, stationed a little apart from which I have seen several hundreds congregated, pany vig wa
ing the falling of the tide. When much disturbed they likewise betake themselves to the coinparative soli.
tude of Strangford Lough. To see a flock of not less than a thousand spring direct from the beach high
into the air until they attain the elevation of the intervening hills which have to be crossed, and, then, in
rapid flight, bear straight onwards to Strangford, is an interesting and beautiful sight. Daring late years
these flights have been taken less frequently, the birds having discovered a tract of good feeding-ground,
about two miles in length, on the Antrim side of the bay. They remain there daily in great numbers, about
the time of high water, for eight months of the year. What may seem timidity or fear on the part of the