l l f l l W l j selects the centre of a tuft of rushes• about sixteen or twenty inches in height in which to
scrape out the small circular depression that forms its cradle: cither a few blades of soft dead grass are
added, or the weaker strands are broken down aud thus supply a scanty lining. The long rank marsh-grass
that grows about the routs of the surrounding rushes frequently meets over the egg* and forms a covering that
effectually conceals them in the absence of the parent bird. L'alcss carefully examined, it is dilllcult to
ascertain where the bird eaters or leaves the nest, so closely do the strands of waving grass entwine above
the space : at times a track may be detected among the grass and herbage; but doubtless the bird is able to
force its way through the unresisting covering without leaving the slightest trace. Though apparently
concealed so as to defy detection, scarcely a nest escapes the practised ej e of the uairshmau, who has learned
his trade by winking every spring to supply the market.
In the neighbourhood of the broads the young seldom remain long on the dry portions of the marshes on
which the nests were placed. When newly hatched, the old birds lead them to the slades, where the shelter
of the reeds and sedge and the boggy nature of the soil afford security from their numerous persecutors.
The over-anxiety of their parents, however, invariably betrays their place of concealment. Where Peewits
and Redlegs breed in company, both species geiier.dli unite in mobbing the intruder on their domain. A
passing Crow is invariably assailed, and the visit of the Moor-lluz*ard to their haunts at once attracts every
bird in the neighbourhood. On the 17th and ISth of May, 1888, 1 watched an immature Marsh-Uarricr
that was hovering about the marshes near Iliekling Rroad, followed for at least twenty minutes on each
occasion by a noisy swarm of from lifly to sixty Peewits aud Redlegs. As they swept screaming round, the
Hawk at times was almost hidden by the wings of the excited throng; he appeared, however, to pay not the
slightest attention to the clamour: two or three limes he alighted for a moment among the reeds, hut I was
unable to ascertain if any prey was secured.
The usual call-note of the Redshank is too well know o to need description ; though the birds arc most
clamorous in the breeding-season, their warning cries may be heard at all times of the year on the mud-
Hats and along the shore. I have hitherto seen no mention of a singular habit in which this species
indulges during the breiii ing-sea son after the youug are batched ; occasionally the whole body resorting to one
part of the marshes will simultaneously give vent to a succession of loud and prolonged calls, the combined
notes forming a most singular chime, which is continued for a minute or more nt a time.
Early in June 18S1 my attention was attracted by a particularly dark-plumaged Redshank, whose loud
notes were heard on every occasion when 1 passed a thick patch of reeds on Pleasure Uillst, a small island on
Iliekling llroad. The position the bird took up was strange—invariably perching, on the approach of the
boat, on a point just level with the top of the highest reeds. Considering it impossible that one of the
stems of I'lu-'iijiiiilcx cimuavii'm could sustain his weight, I landed and discovered that a thorn bush had been
driven by ice or Hoods on the hill, and one small twig stretching upwards formed the observatory from which
he gave warning to his brood of approaching danger : while returning to the hijuL, the downy youug, a day or
two out of the shell, wero detected attempting to escape among the roots of the sedge. A week biter
I discovered that the old bird (easily recognized by his conspicuous colouring) had shifted his quarters, and with
bis brood was domiciled on Rush Hills, a marsh on the lleigham side of the broad, one hundred and fifty
lo two hundred yards from the nearest point of Pleasure Hdls. I was at first under tho impression
• A tuft of -jraMM. 1 pttcnv*. i. miiitinned liv iint writer as llw *j>ot in which the Ktdeharik place* iI«n^tinlli-.N >i:'.,u riLjtr-b.'Fi. According
to my own ci^rit'iim, it is alnn»t imiritUj- in nudu-a that the bird M in thi» Identity. There ia nu li-uvunt the fact thai a fow Mud™ t,I rink
grata fnnuuDd the hjut ^eli-cted; bin tin- carsc SHBWkSS nsmji • 'ti-..:^h LJ the beda and lulu of rtiaheo. Short and ttunted marsh-plant*
broad-disirLla of La.1 Norfolk mn eoa-trurLn] nmung rmhe,.
t bo called on account of the waltr-laira (or frolics aa Ibey in locally Urmrd) being formerly held on thia pari of Iho broad.
REDSHANK:.
that tho young must have been transported by their parents afler the manner uf the Woodcock; but on
mentioning the circumstance to a friend in the neighbourhood, be stated that many years ago a brood of young
in down had been observed swimming between the same two hills.
Redlegs occasionally swim, though it is seldom that they resort to this means of progression. On
March 2»th. 1SS3, 1 was examining through the glasses a small party of four Waders feeding on the mud at
a piece of water near Shorohain, and had just identified them when, startled by a dog, they got on wing,
and after Hying about a couple of hundred yards, pitched in the water exactly opposite where I was
concealed, and swam nt once to shore, n distance of live or six yards; their heads were bobbed up and
down while swimming, in much the same fashion ns the Moorhen. A couple which I shot, in order that there
should he no doubt as to the species, proved to he an adult in winter plumage and a young bird of the
previous year.
These Waders, nt their summer haunls, may frequently be seen taking up a commanding position,
and resting for a time or calling loudly on stakes, rails, boat-houses, stacks of rushes, and occasionally on
shrubs and hushes. 1 have watched one now and then endeavouring to steady itself nu a waving twig uf w allow,
spreading its wings from lime to time as its perch swayed to and fro with the breeze.
During storms of thunder, towards the close of summer or early autumn, large flights of this species,
together with other Waders, arc frequently attracted at night by the lights of tow us in the neighbourhood
of their haunts, and may lie heard Hying over, calling loudly, for hours at a time. Immense Hocks nre usually
to lie found collected on the mudbnnks at daylight on the morning following their aerial demonstrations. This
was particularly the case on llreydon Plats on the morning of September 3th, W-', nod again on August 98th
the following year. On the latter date the movements of Waders appear to have been general nil over tho
southern aud eastern parts of the country. The erics of Whhnbrel, Curlew, Redshanks, and other mud-birds
could be distinguished over Yarmouth for hours, and the fact of large thicks of Waders having passed over Loudon
during the same storm was recorded in more than one publication. On this occasion, fur a few hours after
daylight, Redshanks were collected in the largest nmnhen that eier came under my observation : there were
within view on the Hals three or four flocks, each numbering over a thousand. There was not another
gunner on the water (a rare occurrence on Breydon); and the birds being unsuspicious of danger, I was
able to examine the whole of the flocks at short distances with the glasses. A few hundred Knots, a score or
two of Grccnshanks, and about a dozen immature Spotted Rislshauks were the only strangers to lie detected
in their ranks. At last after waiting for several hours, as no rarities were forthcoming, and the early morning
had been exceedingly blusterous with squalls of driving mist and rain, I was auvioic. to fin- the charge from
the big gun and load afresh. Selecting as my mark a long-legged Wader that appeared conspicuous in a dense
mass of Redshanks, 1 pulled the trigger and proceeded to collect the slain. Owing to n heavy shower, this
bird bad not been inspected through the glasses, aud I was somewhat surprised to find that the specimen
mistaken for an immature Spotted Redshank was simply a i uuug bird of the common species. Numbers of
Redlegs, both old and youug, laid around, and live or six immature Greeuslrauks had also fallen tu the shot,
but not a sign of a Spotted Redshank could he seen. On carefully examining the bird, it proved to be in tho
usual immature' plumage of the Common Redshank, aud presented not ihe slightest difference in the colouring
of beak or legs; the legs, however, when measured from the thigh downwards, were precisely ]J inch
longer than those of nny of the others, cither old or young, killed by the same discharge. This extra
length of limb aud consequent height must have caused the mistake, which a glance through the glasses would
have rendered impossible, as Ihe colouring of the breasts and uuderparts of the immature birds of the two
species differs considerably".
Redshanks, probably non-breeding birds, are to be seen occasionally frequenting Broydon muddats all