164 British Birds, 



or two, very early in the year, separating themselves 

 from the great flock of some scores ; and in the female 

 of one such pair which I shot some few years since 

 (the next shot killing five out of a very large flock, at 

 no great distance), I found an ^gg quite ready for ex- 

 trusion, and which, from the depth of its colouring, 

 would probably have been laid in the course of a few 

 hours at most. The hen-bird makes a very slight 

 nest, and lays just four eggs in it, seldom either more 

 or less. They are of a large size for the bird, of a fair 

 stone-colour, well blotched and spotted with very dark 

 or blackish brown. After sitting eight or ten days 

 the bird becomes very reluctant to leave her nest, and 

 will suffer herself to be almost trodden on rather. 

 The young ones, awkward-looking, mottled yellow 

 and brown puff-balls on stilts, run fast and well soon 

 after they are hatched, and do not speedily acquire 

 the use of those wings which, after a time, are to be 

 so strong and swift. Very jealous, too, are the 

 parents as long as their young are only runners, and 

 very plaintive is their incessant piping if you or your 

 dog approach too near their place of concealment. — 

 Fig. % plate VII. 



GREY V'LO\^'R—{Sqiiataroia Helvetica; formerly, 

 5, cinerea). 

 A bird which has never been ascertained to breed 

 in England, although specimens in the dark-breasted 

 May plumage have been seen in the London markets, 

 and observed by Mr. Selby in the Fame Islands in 

 June. It is not uncommon as a winter visitor, though 

 even then nothing like so rmmerous as the Golden 



