I04 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



these latter birds may be met with swimming about 

 the marine lochs, and there are many colonies of 

 them scattered about the Hebrides. These we hope 

 to notice in greater detail in our chapter devoted to 

 the bird-life of the ocean cliffs (conf. p. 240). Of the 

 wading birds that haunt these lochs mention may be 

 made of the Oyster-catcher and the Ringed Plover. 

 The former bird is one of the noisiest to be found in 

 such localities, especially when its nesting-places are 

 invaded by man. It loves the stretches of shingly 

 beach, laying its three eggs just above high -water 

 mark on the line of drifted weed and rubbish that 

 marks the limits of spring-tide. Its so-called "nest" is 

 worthy of special examination, the shells and pebbles 

 often being arranged very systematically round the 

 eggs. Other nest there is none, but in most cases a 

 number of sham or empty " nests " or hollows in the 

 shingle will be found close to the one that contains 

 the eggs. Many of these birds wander far south- 

 wards from these northern lochs during winter, and 

 at that season are found in localities which they just 

 as regularly leave as spring returns. 



