78 LAKES AND RIVERS. 



intruder. If fired at and missed, which is frequently 

 the case, even with a good marksman, as the stoop is 

 made with remarkable rapidity, it seldom, at least, for 

 that day, ventures again within range. A pair, which 

 had their nest in a marsh near Tongue, after being 

 once fired at, could not again be approached ; but we 

 obtained one of the young, apparently about a fortnight 

 old, by means of a water-dog. Another pair were 

 shot near Scourie, by the margin of a small loch, 

 where, from their violent outcries and alarm, they evi- 

 dently had their nest or young, though we were unable 

 to find either. ;> 



The eggs of the greenshank are extremely beautiful, 

 and usually of a pear shape ; the colour is greenish, 

 ochrous or cream-coloured in ground, with spots of 

 lilac and purple-brown ; they are considerably larger 

 than the redshank's. The greenshank is 14 inches 

 in length, and nearly 2 feet in expanse of wings; 

 although a bird of plain plumage, it has an elegant 

 and graceful form. The bill is 2 J inches long, slender 

 and black ; the nape and sides of the eye are ash, 

 the back ash, glossed with bronze-brown on the centres 

 of the feathers, scapular coverts the same, quills dusky 

 with white spots on the inner webs, belly, upper and 

 under tail-coverts, rump and tail white, the latter 

 crossed by irregular lines of a dusky hue. The legs 

 are dark green ; hence the name greenshank. 



The Common Sandpiper is an abundant bird on 

 the estuaries of our rivers and on the shores of our 

 lakes, as well as on the sea-coast ; hence it may be 

 advisable to describe it in some detail. It is partly 

 web-footed, but can run rapidly. Although not an 



