ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. OO 



was not a little stiff at the end of that period. In the 

 meantime, however, several of them, unable any longer 

 to conceal their curiosity, after much uncertain evolu- 

 tion, and evidently bent upon reconnoitring my position, 

 approached within fair range, maintaining a continuous 

 and unceasing chatter. I fired several shots and killed 

 three birds, two of which were most neatly shot, and 

 as fine a pair as I could wish to possess. A beautiful 

 pale roseate tint pervaded the breast feathers of the 

 male bird. 



Every now and then the whole family would rise 

 almost to a bird, circle in mazy and noisy confusion, 

 descend, and gradually resume their original quiet 

 companionship. Sweeping the loch with my glass, I 

 could perceive a small flock of ducks, probably the 

 common wild duck, disporting themselves upon the 

 very centre, and evidently quite conscious of security. 

 Threading my way along the margin, the little dunlin, 

 springing from their moist resting-spots in pairs and 

 small companies, commenced a flight with a shrill 

 echoing note ; and when half across the loch would, as 

 it were, change their mind, and returning with a rapid 

 sidelong flight, resume their silent rest upon the round, 

 half-hidden, stones. The ringed plover were nume- 

 rous on the adjacent ground as usual, and warbled 

 coyly to each other in low whistling tones. At the 

 further end of this piece of water I could more plainly 

 discern masses of reeds, their heads just appearing 



