208 BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



composition of their neat and beautiful abodes. Whether 

 the position of the egg is chosen upon the pebbly beach or 

 upon the harder surface of the rock, it is always carefully 

 strewed with these small flat pieces of shell or gravel ; the 

 whiter they are, the better they seem to please the taste of 

 the architect, which seems however to experience some diffi- 

 culty in placing them to its liking, and prepares numerous 

 nests before it makes use of one ; this I have always noticed 

 with some wonder, and in some instances have seen as many 

 as a dozen, all apparently as well finished as the one which 

 contained the eggs." The eggs, which are about the size 

 of those of the domestic fowl, but more pointed at the 

 smaller end, are of a pale-brown or stone-colour blotched 

 with grey and brown. They are usually three, but occa- 

 sionally four in number. Mr. Dunn says : " It lays three 

 or four eggs ; I have taken many nests, and more frequently 

 found three than four." ' Ornithologist's Guide to Orkney 

 and Shetland/ p. 90. 



EALLID^E. KAILS. 



In this, the last family of the Wading Birds, we find the 

 members which constitute it more aquatic in their habits 



