342 BRITISH BIRDS' XESTS. 



dark brown, the feathers being margined and spotted 

 with pale brown and white ; rump white, streaked 

 sparingly with brown. Tail-quills ash-brown, barred 

 with darkish brown. Chin white ; upper breast 

 light brown, streaked with a darker tinge ; lower 

 breast and belly almost white ; flanks dull white, 

 barred with brown. Lower tail-coverts white, 

 streaked with brown. Legs and toes bluish-black ; 

 claws black. Distinguished from the Curlew by 

 being considerably smaller in size. 



The female is similar in plumage, but about two 

 inches greater in length. 



Situation and Local it//. — On the ground, amongst 

 the heather, or in the shelter of a tuft of grass, 

 on open moors in the Shetlands, Orkneys, and 

 Hebrides. 



Materials. — A few blades of dried grass, used 

 as a lining to the depression chosen. 



Eggs. — Four, pear-shaped, olive-green to olive- 

 brown in ground colour, blotched and spotted with 

 varying shades of brown and light grey. They 

 resemble the darker varieties of the Common 

 Curlew's, but are smaller, and are rather larger and 

 more pear-shaped than those of Richardson's Skua 

 with which they are likely to be confused. Size 

 about 2-35 by 1-65 in. 

 Time. — May and June. 



Bemarls. — Migratory, arriving at its breeding 

 grounds in April and May and departing in Sep- 

 tember. Notes : tettf/, tetty, tetti/, tet. Local and 

 other names : Whimbrel Curlew, Little Whaap, 

 Lang Whaap, Jack Curlew, Half Curlew, Curlew 

 Knot, Maybird, Titterel, Seven Whistler, Stone 

 Curlew (a name also given to the Norfolk Plover 

 or Thicknee), Chequer Bird. Not a close sitter, 

 but makes a great outcry when disturbed. 



