PLATE I 

 WH INC HAT. Pratincola rubetra 



June 1898. The Whinchat's nest depicted in this Plate was built in an open 

 part of a wood near Callander, Perthshire. The nest was very difficult to see, 

 although the photograph conveys rather a different impression, and it took 

 me two days of patient watching before I at last saw the old bird fly to it. 

 As a rule she alighted close to some tall foxgloves ; and I had searched every 

 inch of ground round them several times. At last, on the second day, she 

 dropped down beside the foxgloves as usual, and about half a minute after I 

 saw something move about six yards from them, so I gave her a minute's 

 grace and then walked straight to the spot. Up she got from some ferns, 

 and in a few seconds I found the nest, which was fairly open, though not 

 very easily seen. 



VOL. iv. z 85 



