BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 89 



again taking short flights across the river and re- 

 turning immediately. 



When on the wing they always skim the surface 

 of the water, often being so close to it that their 

 wings actually touch the surface. 



No bird, I think, calls so much as the Sand- 

 piper. They are continually whistling to each other 

 all through the day, and even during night their 

 beautiful cry, often accompanied by the Oyster 

 Catcher's whistle, may be heard down by the rush- 

 ing river, and are the only sounds to break the 

 midnight stillness. 



The young Sandpipers are hatched out in June. 

 Very soon after they are born they are able to 

 leave the nest and are led by their parents along 

 the river banks. The young Sandpipers are almost 

 impossible to discover. Harmonising perfectly with 

 their surroundings, they crouch motionless at the first 

 warning cry of their parents and remain so until 

 all danger is past. 



Were it not for the parent birds, one would 

 never guess that young Sandpipers were in the 

 vicinity ; but both the old birds show signs of the 

 greatest anxiety when their young are approached, 

 trying in every way to draw the intruder off. They 

 will allow you to approach within a yard or two 

 of them, when they rise and alight a little farther 

 on ; all the while they bob their tails up and down 

 incessantly and show signs of the greatest distress. 

 During the daytime they rarely remain very near 

 their young ones, probably because if they 

 should suddenly be disturbed, the young have a 

 better chance of escape when they are scattered 

 about. 



The usual note uttered by the Sandpiper when 



