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rich senua and brown spots plentifully over them, exactly 

 simulating the predominant tints of the sedge and flags 

 and water- washed stumps among which they are found. 

 The curlew builds on the mossy hillside, embedded in moss 

 to the windward of some tree stump or bracken-shaded 

 knoll, and its eggs are of a beautiful olive-green ground, 

 with profuse brown and dark-green mottlings. The grouse, 

 secreted among wind-swept stunted heather, with only the 

 remnant of its purply beauty left it by the roughness of 

 winter, and the fresh tints of a new summer still 

 undecided, has an egg of a bleached dirty-ground, spattered 

 or "claurtit," if I may use a good Scotch word, with dark 

 purply brown. The same distinctive colourings pervade 

 the separate groups of birds to a more or less degree, and, 

 whatever the cause may be, the reason is plain. The 

 nests are also characteristic, though to a much less extent. 

 There is not one, I believe, who has not been swindled 

 by some bird wiling him away from its nest or young. 

 Some may think it instinct, but, so far as my experience 

 goes, I am convinced it is reason. I remember on one of 

 these poaching days we had crept close to the edge of a 

 willow-bordered pool. A few clucks, in guileless innocence, 

 were floating upon its surface, feeding in the shallow water 

 with that somersaulty motion we have all seen. It occa- 

 sionally happened that tails alone were visible, and such a 

 golden opportunity was seized by us to pelt the skied 

 rears they presented with peas from our catapults, always 

 keeping concealed. People may think a duck expression- 

 less. They ought to have seen the look of intense surprise 

 their heads wore as they bobbed to the surface. Seeiug 

 nothing, they resumed operations with the same result. 

 This time they were much more surprised, and viewed 

 each other with great suspicion. Again operations were 

 started on both sides, and, at this time, every individual 



