186 HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



she and the cock bird flew around in extreme anxiety, 

 repeatedly uttering their usual cry, and also a curious 

 distinctive chuckling note, which they make use of only 

 when their young have been hatched out. 



I remarked to the stalker who accompanied me that 

 the birds must have hatched off their brood, but he in- 

 formed me that he did not think this could be the case, 

 for only the previous evening he had visited the nest and 

 the eggs had then just commenced to chip. But a few hours 

 had brought great changes with them, and not only were 

 two of the young hatched off, but they were well grown and 

 able to run actively about — indeed, it was only by means 

 of considerable persuasion that they could be induced to 

 remain in the nest while their photograph was being 

 taken. On the upper mandible of the bill of each chick 

 was plainly visible the hard encrusted growth by the help 

 of which the young birds hammer through the shell, and 

 thus emerge from their prison. 



From time to time the parent birds crossed overhead, 

 whistling and calling in alarm, and the chicks answered 

 them with cries which strikingly resembled those of their 

 elders, albeit they were yet somewhat husky through lack 

 of practice. 



In colour the Curlew chicks have the under surface of 

 a yellowish grey, the upper parts being of the same colour, 

 but with patches of dark brown distributed over them. 

 Until the time when they are able to fly — about seven 

 weeks — they are cared for most attentively by both parent 

 birds. When she had eggs only to guard the Curlew often 

 left the nest in silence, stealthily, nor did she put in an 

 appearance while her treasures were being admired and 

 examined. Her call note, if she indeed cried out at all, 

 was the " courlie," which one ever associates with the 

 Curlew at all seasons of the year. But when her small 

 children are ushered into the world all this is changed. 



