82 HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



for the sake of companionship. This bird took only 

 a mild interest in the fate of the nestlings, contenting 

 itself with perching on the top of a rock or flying about 

 quietly at a considerable distance from the nest. 



The sun was now shining with great heat on the slopes 

 of the glen, drawing out the scent of the heather and 

 other hill plants, so that the air was filled with that aroma 

 so pleasing to every lover of the moorlands. The young 

 Ravens were considerably distressed by the heat, gasping 

 and panting for breath, so in order not to cause more 

 anxiety than necessary to the parent birds, we crossed 

 the glen and lay down to watch the course of events. The 

 afternoon was drawing on. Scarce a breath of wind 

 stirred, though light breezes at times crossed from the 

 north, relieving for a moment the sun's heat. On the far 

 hills a heather fire was burning. Flying swiftly up the 

 glen came a pair of Curlews, looking, beside the Ravens, 

 strangely diminutive birds, and a little later came a third 

 Curlew. He was evidently a male bird, for, as he flew, 

 he rose and dipped with that characteristic flight of the 

 nesting season, uttering that singularly charming call 

 note of his which adds so great a fascination to the moor- 

 lands in spring. 



The Ravens were now circling closer to their crag. 

 Time after time one of the birds lighted on a particular 

 ledge of rock, but seemed unwilling to settle on the ground 

 near its young — possibly previous unpleasant experiences 

 of traps made it disinclined to alight at the foot of the 

 rock. Meantime I could see through the glass that one 

 of the young Ravens was dozing comfortably on a stone, 

 having evidently quite forgotten its trying experiences 

 at the hands of the photographer a short while before. 

 The behaviour of the solitary occupant of the nest was 

 interesting. Before, when his three brothers and sisters 

 shared his home with him, I have shrewd suspicions that 



