EGGS AND EGG-COLLECTING. 89 



brown. Sometimes the markings take the form of 

 streaks. The eggs^ although as a rule darker than those 

 o£ the Herring Gull, are very difficult to distinguish^ and I 

 have found no safe method short of watching the parent 

 birds on the nest. 



THE GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



The flat-topped summits of rocks^, stacks^ and high mari- 

 time cliffs are the usual situation for this Gull's nest; how- 

 ever, I have met with it on comparatively low rocky islets 

 in Hiirhland sea-lochs. It does not Lreed on the East 

 Coast of England. Its nest is made of bits of heather, 

 dead grass, seaweed, and sometimes a few feathers, and 

 varies in size. The eggs number three, but sometimes only 

 two are found, greyish-brown or stone colour, tinged with 

 olive and spotted with blackish- brown and dark grey. 



THE BLACK GROUSE. 

 Tins bird places its nest amongst deep heather, long grass, 

 and rushes, ferns, and brambles, in suitable moorland parts 

 of England, Wales, and Scotland. It is simply a hollow 

 lined with a few bits of fern, heath, or dead grass. The 

 eggs number six to ten, or even more, yellowish-white to 

 buff, spDtted with rich reddish-brown. I have generally 

 found it through putting the hen off her nest. 



THE MARSH WARBLER. 

 A SITUATION such as that afforded by a stunted bush over- 

 g-rown with weeds and close to water of some kind, chiefly 



