76 BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 



calling loudly all the while ; but they will never, like 

 the Lapwing, keep on the wing for a long period. 

 Even after you have gone hundreds of yards from the 

 young birds, the parents will still call shrilly, and once 

 I was followed about half a mile by the old birds. 

 This was on a flat moor, and when I had reached 

 a depression at the end of it, one of the Golden 

 Plover came straight towards me and circled round 

 my head. Then, seeing that I was really leaving 

 the vicinity, they both returned at once to the other 

 end of the moor, where the young ones were crouching 

 among the heather. 



The young are full grown by Jury, and soon 

 after they are able to fly both young and old depart 

 for the sea coast, where they haunt the estuaries of 

 rivers in large flocks, along with the Curlew, Red- 

 shank, and Lapwing. 



The winter months must be an anxious time 

 for them, for, besides the scarcity of food, fowlers 

 are very often tying in wait for the luckless birds ; 

 and many a Plover which led its young in pride 

 and joy down to the coast will return no more 

 to its beloved nesting grounds, where it hatched 

 off its brood in peace and happiness. 



THE CURLEW 



THERE is something very fascinating about the 

 wail of the Curlew. When, after wintering on 

 the sea coast, he returns to his nesting haunts, 

 his wild sweet whistle on the lone mountain tracts 

 fills every true bird lover with a great happiness, 

 bringing back to him memories of former spring 

 days passed on the hills, with the wailing of the 



