184 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



illustration is from a photograph taken on the Fame 

 Islands. Pretty generally in suitable localities round 

 our coasts, and sometimes found quite inland on the 

 banks of rivers and lakes. It is most numerous 

 in Scotland and the surrounding isles. 



Materials. None, in the strict sense of the 

 term, although a few shells or pebbles are often 

 used as a kind of pavement, according to my ex- 

 perience. Sometimes a few bents are employed, 

 or the eggs are laid on drifted seaweed. 



Eggs. Two to four, usually three. Yellowish, 

 stone, or cream colour, streaked, blotched, and 

 spotted with dark brown and grey. Occasionally 

 the markings are inclined to form a zone at the 

 larger end, but generally they are pretty evenly 

 distributed over the shell. Size about 2*2 by 1*5 in. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Resident. Notes, a clamorous chatter- 

 ing when the nest is approached. Local and other 

 names : Sea Pie, Olive, Mussel Picker, Pienet, 

 Tirma, Sea Piet, Trillichan, Chaldrick, Scolder, 

 Sheldraker or Skelderdrake. Sits lightly, and 

 generally has intimation of the approach of an 

 intruder given by the male. 



PARTRIDGE, COMMON. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about 

 twelve and a half or thirteen inches. Beak short, 

 curved downwards, and bluish-grey. Irides hazel. 

 Forehead and cheeks bright rust-colour; behind 

 the eye is a patch of naked red skin ; crown, back 

 of the neck, and shoulders, cinerous-brown ; lower 

 back and wing-coverts mottled with two shades of 

 reddish-brown on a pale buff ground, the central 



