138 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. xvn. 



that is offered to it. From its brilliant black and white plumage 

 and red bill, as well as from its utility in destroying slugs and 

 snails in the garden, where it searches for them with unceasing 

 activity, it is both ornamental and useful, and \vorthy of being 

 oftener kept for this purpose where a garden is surrounded by 

 walls ; it will, if taken young, remain with great contentment 

 with poultry without being confined. I have found its nest in 

 different localities, sometimes on the stones and sometimes on the 

 sand close to high-water mark very often on the small islands 

 and points of land about the river, at a considerable distance 

 from the sea ; its favourite place here is on the carse land be- 

 tween the two branches of the Findhorn near the sea, where it 

 selects some little elevation of the ground just above the reach of 

 the tide, but where at spring-tides the nest must be very often 

 entirely surrounded by the water I never knew either this or 

 any bird make the mistake of building within reach of the high 

 tides, though, from the great difference there is in the height of 

 the spring-tides, one might suppose that the birds would be often 

 led into such a scrape. 



Unlike most birds of similar kind, the sandpiper builds a sub- 

 stantial, comfortable nest, in some tuft of grass near the river 

 side, well concealed by the surrounding herbage, instead of 

 leaving its eggs on the bare stones or sand. It is a lively little 

 bird, and is always associated in my mind with summer and 

 genial weather as it runs jerking along the water's edge, looking 

 for insects or flies, and uttering its clear pipe-like whistle. The 

 young of the sandpiper are neatly and elegantly mottled, and are 

 very difficult to be perceived. The eggs are brown and yellow, 

 nearly the colour of the withered grass and leaves with which 

 the bird forms its nest. 



Towards the end of March the curlew begins to leave the 

 shore, taking to the higher hills, where it breeds, near the edge 

 of some loch or marsh. During the season of breeding, this 

 bird (though so shy and suspicious at all other times) flies boldly 

 round the head of any passer by, with a loud, screaming whistle. 

 The eggs are very large. When first hatched, the young have 

 none of the length of bill which is so distinguishing a feature in 

 the old bird. On the shore the curlews feed mostly on cockles 

 and other shell-fish, which they extract from the sand with ease, 



