172 



GRALLATORES. 



ccnistantly remain and breed in various parts of the 

 country, for their nests and young ones have beien so 

 often found as to leave no doubt of the fact. The female 

 makes her nest, which is very inartificially composed, of 

 withered grasses and a few feathers, in some retired spot, 

 gtmerally under the stump of an alder or willow. The 

 eggs, which are large and usually four in number, are 

 pale yellowish- or greenish-white, with rather elongated 

 rusty spots at the larger end. Sir Humphry Davy de- 

 scribes the parent birds as being extremely attached to 

 their young, and says that if any one approaches the nest, 

 they make a loud and drumming noise above the head of 

 the intruder, as if to divert his attention. The young 

 run off soon after they leave the shell, but they are 

 attended by their parents until their bills have acquired 

 sufficient firmness to enable them to provide for them- 

 selves. 





