SOME BIRD NOTES FROM THE OUTER HEBRIDES 23 



all, and often I would find that she had returned to her nest 

 before I reached my hiding-place amongst the sand-dunes. 

 She always adopted the same tactics, approaching the nest 

 from the same direction, and in order to distract our attention 

 would pretend to feed, eventually turning round and running 

 on to the nest at top speed. The male kept guard on the 

 borders of an adjacent pool, and would sound the alarm when 

 any " Hoodie " or other egg-stealer hove in sight. Once we 

 saw him swimming in this very pool, progressing by jerks in 

 much the same way as a water-hen. Within a stretch of eighty- 

 four paces there were nests of four different species, namely, 

 Oyster Catcher, Pewit, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, and one could 

 from a certain point of vantage observe all four species sitting 

 on their nests at once. Out of all these only two of the Pewit's 

 eggs managed to escape the unwelcome attention of the 

 Common Gull. 



It has often been remarked that migrating flocks of this 

 species may be seen during the midst of the nesting season. 

 This year a flock, consisting of fourteen individuals, was 

 observed on 6th of June, at which date all other members 

 were engaged in incubation. Towards the middle of June 

 those pairs whose nesting efforts had been unproductive — a 

 vast majority, I fear — were to be seen commonly soaring in the 

 air, uttering shrill cries, and shooting downwards, evidently 

 having every intention of nesting again. After a while, however, 

 they appeared to give up the attempt and gathered into small 

 flocks. One evening I observed two specks in the sky, and 

 though at a great altitude, I was able to distinguish one as a 

 Heron ; the other I conjectured to be a Peregrine, and expected 

 to be witness to an exciting flight. Imagine my disappoint- 

 ment when I found my Peregrine merely to be an Oyster 

 Catcher. 



Red-necked Phalarope, Phalaropus hyperboreus^ Linn. — Arrived 

 in detachments at the end of May. The first were seen on 

 28th May. One pair apparently mated by 29th May. During 

 the first ten days in June many females arrived, and were 

 followed later by the males. About the middle of June two 

 males were frequently seen consorting with one female, and in 

 one instance two females with one male ; this state of affairs 

 continuing till our departure on 27th June. No eggs or other 

 evidences were found after continual search till 26th June, 

 when quite unexpectedly four newly hatched young were found 

 on an island inhabited by a large colony of Arctic Terns. At 

 this time none of the other pairs even had eggs. The young 

 were being cared for entirely by tfie male, the female apparently 

 taking no interest in their welfare. His anxiety was quite 



