166. • SllITISH BIRDS' XESTS. 



place the year before ; and I flushed the female 

 close to the place this year, but was unable to find 

 her nest. He showed us three knolls, each about 

 fifty yards from the nesting site, upon which the 

 old birds plucked the prey before taking it to 

 their young. They brought Moor Poults (young 

 Grouse), Green Plovers, Meadow Pipits, mice, and 

 young Snipe. 



Materials. — A few twigs or sprigs of heather, 

 grass, or moss, generally next to nothing. The one 

 photographed was in a very slight depression, and 

 contained only a few dead heather sprouts. 



Eggs. — Three to six, generally four or five, 

 creamy- white, so thickly covered with spots, 

 blotches, or clouds of dark reddish-brown, as to 

 almost completely hide the ground colour. Some- 

 times the markings consist of small dots closely 

 and thickly scattered over the whole surface, and 

 in these the ground colour becomes more apparent. 

 Size about 1-6 by 1'2 in. Only distinguishable from 

 those of the Hobby and Kestrel by the situation of 

 the nest. 



Time. — May and Jmie. 



Bemarlxs. — Eesident, but subject to a southern 

 migration in October. Notes, a shrill, chattering 

 cry. Local and other names : Blue Hawk, Stone 

 Falcon. Sits lightly. 



MOORHEN. Also Wateehen. 



Descripiion of Parent Birds. — Length about 

 thirteen inches. Bill of medium length, nearly 

 straight, greenish-yellow at the tip, and red at 

 the base and for some distance up the naked fore- 

 head, where the coot is white. Bides reddish-hazel 



