BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 147 



tufts of coarse grass, heather, between dry mounds 

 near lochs and streams in the north and west of 

 Scotland, the Hebrides, and Shetlands. 



Materials^- A few bits of dead grass, used as a 

 lining to the declivity chosen. 



Eggs. Four ; pale yellowish-green to warm 

 stone-colour or buff, beautifully blotched or spotted 

 with light purple, grey, and dark brown. Markings 

 most numerous at larger end. Size about 1.95 by 

 1.35 in. (See Plate IX.) 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving on its breeding- 

 grounds at the end of April or beginning of May, 

 and leaving in July. The bird is said to winter in 

 Ireland. Note : a loud vir-too' ', vir-too' , vir-too 1 ', or 

 chee-weet, chee-weet, sounding in some respects like 

 that of the Redshank. Local and other names : 

 Cinereous Godwit, Green-legged Horseman, Greater 

 Plover. Sits lightly, and flies straight away from 

 the neighbourhood of the nest, which is very difficult 

 to find. Our photograph was, as ornithologists will 

 understand, not secured without considerable trouble. 



GROUSE, BLACK. 



(Tetrao tetrix.) 

 Order GALLING ; Family TETRAONID.E (GROUSE). 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about 

 twenty-two inches. Bill short, curved downwards, 

 and black. Irides dark brown. Bare, erectile skin 

 over eyes, bright scarlet. Head, neck, back, wing- 

 coverts, rump, and tail black, richly glossed in 

 parts with blue-black. Wings brownish-black, with 

 .a conspicuous white bar across the middle. The 



