52 WILD LIFE AT HOME. 



of care, especially if alone ; for once, whilst search- 

 ing for nests on the shores of a northern tarn, I 

 had a narrow escape from disappearing beneath the 

 treacherous surface of a deep moss-bog, into which 

 I foolishly ventured too far. 



The nests of ground-builders, such as larks, 

 pipits, and buntings, I have always found most 

 easily by walking across their haunts in the even- 

 ing; however, they are, as a rule, dropped upon 

 in sufficient numbers by accident whilst roaming 

 about any country-side where they breed. 



Those of grouse, partridges, pheasants, and many 

 other birds of special interest and importance to game 

 preservers and sportsmen, should be studied under 

 the superintendence of some sympathetic game- 

 keeper, who will, for a small consideration, also help 

 with other birds, such as hawks, crows, jays, ravens, 

 buzzards and falcons. 



The males of some species, such as whinchats, 

 wheatears, stonechats, robins, and shrikes, betray 

 the nesting-places of their mates either by hanging 

 about in the immediate vicinity, and making an 

 undue amount of demonstration upon the approach 

 of anything they may consider in the light of an 

 enemy, or by feeding the sitting birds whilst under 

 observation. Nests containing young birds may 

 generally be found by sitting down and quietly 

 watching through a pair of field-glasses their 

 parents go to feed them. 



The courtship of birds is an extremely inter- 



