24 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS. 



The interior of the nest is dry and warm enough, and 

 the eggs number five or six, pure white, hut showing a 

 pretty pink blush when in a natural state. The young 

 are on the wing in April (late broods up to June) and from 

 the first take lovingly to the water diving like water-rats 

 even before they can fly. 



The last week of March witnesses the arrival of several 

 of the typical moor-breeding birds. The Stock-Dove and the 

 Grey Wagtail have returned by the middle of the month ; 

 and its penultimate days bring the Wheatear, the Ring-Ouzel, 

 the Redshank, and the Black-headed Gulls ; possibly, also, 

 the Dunlin, though I have not chanced to see these till 

 April. The first three are very regular, as the following 

 records will show : 



Earliest date. Latest date. 



Wheatear arrives March 23rd. March 31st. 



Ring-Ouzel March 24th. April 2nd. 



Redshank March llth. March 27th. 



The Redshanks come by night, and the first intimation 

 of their advent is often the well-known triple note, heard far 

 up in the dark skies. During the second half of March, 

 the Black-headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus), among the most 

 conspicuous ornaments of the hill-country during the spring 

 and summer months, straggle up somewhat irregularly. At 

 first they keep the lines of the river valleys and main 

 " water-gates," but by the end of March have reached their 

 incunabula among the moorland lakes. The Stock- Doves, 

 too, come irregularly their earliest date being March 7th, 

 and the latest April 1st. To the moors, these small wild 

 pigeons are exclusively summer migrants. None are met 

 with during the autumn or winter the latest I have 

 observed was on August 18th although of recent years 

 Stock-Doves have become tolerably numerous at that season 

 throughout the loiclands of the northern counties (See chap, 

 on "Wild Pigeons "). On the moors, they appear annually 

 during March, and at once locate themselves at the crag 

 where they intend to nest. 



March 20th. A Missel-Thrush commenced laying, though 

 there were 7 frost at night. Rooks, Herons, and an 



