194 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



exposure. It is usually very difficult to detect the bird 

 when it resorts to this stratagem. 



The bird is largely insectivorous and its food must consist 

 to a considerable extent of the many small beetles which 

 live among the moss on the breeding ground. There are 

 also a good many spiders there and sometimes immense 

 numbers of daddy-long-legs. On very warm days five or 

 six birds may be seen at the same time sunning themselves 

 and leisurely feeding. They will even leave the nest for 

 hours at a time if it is very hot and in such circumstances 

 I have never seen the mate take the place of the sitting 

 bird. I do not know if both birds incubate, and in each 

 case where the brighter plumage of one bird allowed me to 

 differentiate between them I invariably found that it was 

 the duller coloured bird which was on the nest. 



On one occasion when a Dotterel rose practically at my 

 feet it gave a call somewhat resembling the twrr of a 

 Dunlin, and although I have also heard other calls, the 

 usual one is the regular creak already mentioned, which is 

 uttered both on the ground and on the wing in all kinds of 

 weather. 



A Remarkable Bird Group. While walking along the east 

 side cliffs of Foula Isle, on 12th June this year, I observed a sheep 

 in a dangerous position about 400 feet below, close to the water's 

 edge. Enlisting the help of two islanders, we set off by boat, and 

 in time accomplished the rescue. 



On our return, the boat was rowed to a small "stack," on which 

 was made an interesting discovery. The "stack," at high water, 

 scales about twelve feet only, is a little over twenty feet long, and 

 quite narrow. On this small area four nests were found, each nest 

 containing three eggs of the following birds : Eider Duck, Oyster- 

 catcher, Greater Blackback Gull, and Herring Gull. For the 

 omnivorous Gulls the site was ideal, but for the others a very risky 

 one. I venture to think this untoward nesting combination is of 

 rare occurrence, and worthy of being recorded. Wm. Harry 

 Greenaway, Foula, Shetland. 



Turtle Dove in Linlithgowshire. An adult bird of this 

 species was obtained near South Queensfeny on the 7th of June 

 1920, and was forwarded to the Royal Scottish Museum, William 

 Wilson, Queensferry. 



