Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/442

376 than four nests, one containing three eggs, two but two eggs, and the fourth only one egg. Three of these nests were hollows scratched in the sand (in two cases amongst the débris thrown up by the tide), with a few little pieces of broken shell scattered over the bottom of the hollow; the fourth nest was in a patch of shingle, and was carefully paved all over with small flat stones. These nests were all practically the same size, about 7 in. diameter by 1½ in. deep.

Arnside. I saw one pair of Oystercatchers here, which had either young birds or eggs, near some marshy land along the estuary of the Kent.

(Gallinago cœlestis).—I put up a single bird of this species near Ravenglass in some marshy land; and I also saw the bird at Arnside.

(Totanus hypoleucus).—Boot. There were a pair or two of these birds round the edges of most of the tarns in the hills. On the edge of Devoke Water I found an old bird with nestlings just able to run. The down of the young was a reddish sandy-brown colour, with sepia streaks and spots; the bill was black, and the feet and legs were a dull greyish flesh-colour. The old bird made a great fuss while I was looking at the young ones, coming within two or three yards of me, and uttering a loud piping note all the time.

Arnside. I found a nest of this species in some marshy ground near Foulshaw Moss. The bird sat very close, and only flew off when I was within a pace of the nest. It flew straight away, and did not come back either while I was examining the nest, or was in the vicinity of it. The nest was rather a deep hollow scratched out amongst a thick growth of sorrel and grass, which quite concealed the eggs when the bird flew off. It measured 4 in. diameter by 2 in. deep, was lined with a few pieces of dead grass, and contained four eggs.

(T. calidris).—I saw a few pairs of these birds at Ravenglass and at Arnside, where they had evidently been breeding; but there were no great numbers at either place.

(Numenius arquata).—There were flocks of Curlews on the coast of Walney Island and at Ravenglass.

Boot. There were here several pairs of breeding birds about the hills. One pair which I watched for some time had