A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE same birds or not that arrived the autumn previously. It has occurred here probably during every month of the year, including even June, although, curiously, it is a species which has never yet been known to nest within the British Islands. Whenever I have been at Newnham during the first week in August I have invariably met with this species. 1 80. Redshank. Totanus calidrli (Linn.) sented a specimen to me which was obtained by him at Langford 17 September 1856. Mr. T. Cane once had a dusky redshank brought to him about 1870 from 'The Bogs,' which are now drained. 182. Greenshank. Totanus canescens (J. F. Gmelin) So long as there are sufficiently attractive feeding haunts, the greenshank may be re- This bird passes over the county somewhat J ^ a br vJsitor tQ us during its
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regularly, though probably in small numbers, whilst upon its migratory flights. An occa- sional bird or a pair sometimes break their journey and remain a day or so with us dur- ing the spring or autumn, and a few have occurred in the winter. Not infrequently they are flushed from ditches and brooks re- mote from the river. In all probability it was formerly known as a nesting species in Bedfordshire, for Mr. A. Covington remarks that sportsmen that have known the county from the early part of the past century have spoken of the redshank as at one time nesting regu- larly in various of our marshy meadows. At migratory movements, particularly in the autumn. At the Newnham farm in recent years, when the large extent of sewage water was left exposed upon the land, this bird occurred annually. In other parts of the county it is occasionally reported from time to time, being usually flushed from ponds and ditches and other isolated waters. In the Zoologist one is mentioned by Mr. C. M. Prior, shot in September 1878 as it rose from a ditch at Goldington. One in the writer's possession was killed at Stanford about I < Two, presumably of this species, were seen Newnham by Mr. A. F. Crossman Newnham farm in 1896, if not a year or so g mber ^93, and in August 1894 I heard previously, a small colony of redshanks, some ^^ Mr £ F Harrison f several being two or three pairs in all, located themselves, and one nest at least was robbed of the eggs ; but young were evidently reared during that year. In 1897 Mr. Covington sent me par- ticulars of a clutch of four eggs which he had seen, which had been taken on 21 April. On the day following he observed five red- shanks together at Longholm ; four additional clutches of eggs were also found during that season. In the same year, besides the pairs nesting on the Newnham farm, one or pos- sibly two pairs probably nested on a field known as part of Fenlake Marsh, where they were frequently flushed, and on 20 August 1897 three were seen together at Newnham. In 1898 two or three pairs continued nesting at Newnham, and a young one in the down was found and liberated again by Mr. A. F. Crossman. On 11 May 1899 when I visited the farm there appeared to be two pairs there, and the same day I was fortunate enough to flush a redshank off Fenlake Marsh and find her nest, which contained four eggs. On 21 May I again visited Newnham and saw four birds. Since 1 900, when the site of this lake of sewage had again passed under cultivation, I have been unable to hear of any redshanks even visiting their former haunts. 181. Spotted Redshank. Totanus fuscus (Linn.) A rare visitor. Mr. J. King kindly pre- there in the company of dunlins and some ruffs. Two specimens were shown to me by Mr. H. Nicolls killed at Newnham in 1895. On 23 May 1897 I saw at some distance what was evidently a greenshank, and on 21 May 1898 Mr. Crossman observed a single bird also in the same locality. Mr. A. Covington says that upwards of a dozen local birds have passed through his hands, which were in every instance killed in the month of August. The first he can call to mind was one killed from a pair that rose from a pond at Putnoe in August 1868, and the most recent, one of two seen, that was killed at Turvey in August 1896. 183. Bar-tailed Godwit. Limosa lapponica (Linn.) An uncommon visitor. Two were shot at Goldington on separate occasions during the winter 1866-7, and purchased by Mr. A. Covington, /ho also had another specimen from Ampthill in the beautiful red plumage pass through his hands in May 1887. In the Field, 1870, one is recorded killed on 21 May of that year near Ampthill. One in full breeding plumage, in my possession, was obtained near Stanford about 1877 ; another I have seen in the collection of Mr. G. Pestell, which I understand was killed at Newnham, and Mr. W. Addington has one which was shot at Wyboston in 1 870. 132
