﻿Nesting 
  of 
  some 
  Shetland 
  Birds, 
  355 
  

  

  discovered 
  several 
  eggs, 
  but 
  most 
  of 
  the 
  first 
  nests 
  had 
  

   already 
  produced 
  young 
  birds 
  which 
  had 
  flown. 
  One 
  of 
  these 
  

   we 
  found 
  on 
  the 
  outside 
  of 
  the 
  building 
  and 
  inspected 
  closely, 
  

   besides 
  the 
  remains 
  of 
  several 
  more 
  which 
  appeared 
  to 
  have 
  

   afforded, 
  meals 
  to 
  the 
  Peregrines 
  of 
  the 
  neighbourhood. 
  

  

  TuRTLE-DovE 
  {Turtur 
  communis). 
  One 
  remained 
  about 
  

   the 
  garden 
  at 
  Sand. 
  Lodge 
  for 
  several 
  days 
  during 
  the 
  first 
  

   week 
  of 
  June. 
  

  

  ^ 
  Land-Rail 
  {Crex 
  pratensis) 
  . 
  One 
  heard 
  near 
  Balta 
  Sound, 
  

   June 
  4th. 
  

  

  — 
  Coot 
  (Fulica 
  atra). 
  Found 
  nesting 
  on 
  several 
  of 
  the 
  lochs 
  

   in 
  the 
  south 
  of 
  Mainland. 
  

  

  -f- 
  Golden 
  Plover 
  (Charadrius 
  pluvialis). 
  Apparently 
  

   breeding 
  in 
  most 
  places, 
  but 
  not 
  abundant, 
  in 
  Unst, 
  where 
  

   we 
  found 
  two 
  nests 
  containing 
  four 
  eggs 
  each, 
  the 
  old 
  bird 
  in 
  

   each 
  case 
  sitting 
  till 
  nearly 
  trodden 
  upon 
  and 
  then 
  flying 
  

   away 
  with 
  legs 
  hanging 
  down, 
  and 
  trying 
  to 
  decoy 
  us 
  away 
  

   from 
  the 
  nest 
  with 
  all 
  sorts 
  of 
  antics. 
  The 
  nests 
  were 
  

   moderately 
  deep 
  depressions 
  in 
  the 
  moss, 
  formed 
  in 
  such 
  a 
  

   way 
  that 
  the 
  bird 
  would 
  be 
  well 
  sheltered 
  from 
  o1:)servation 
  

   when 
  sitting 
  on 
  her 
  eggs. 
  

  

  — 
  Ringed 
  Plover 
  {^gialitis 
  hiaticnla). 
  Very 
  abundant 
  

   and 
  breeding 
  in 
  all 
  sorts 
  of 
  situations, 
  from 
  the 
  sea-shore 
  to 
  

   the 
  tops 
  of 
  the 
  hills. 
  

  

  ■^ 
  Lapwing 
  {Vanellus 
  vulgaris). 
  Breeding 
  on 
  Noss 
  and 
  

   abundantly 
  in 
  Unst. 
  

  

  -^' 
  Oyster-catcher 
  {Hamatopus 
  ostralegus). 
  We 
  generally 
  

   found 
  this 
  handsome 
  bird 
  nesting 
  on 
  all 
  the 
  islands 
  we 
  visited. 
  

   This 
  species 
  is 
  frequently 
  to 
  be 
  seen 
  contending 
  with 
  the 
  

   Hooded 
  Crow, 
  which 
  is 
  probably 
  trying 
  to 
  rifle 
  it 
  of 
  its 
  eggs 
  

   or 
  young. 
  

  

  - 
  Common 
  Ssive 
  {Gallinago 
  cfBlestis). 
  Generally 
  distributed. 
  

   We 
  twice 
  met 
  with 
  the 
  young 
  in 
  down, 
  and 
  most 
  charming 
  

   little 
  objects 
  they 
  are. 
  When 
  once 
  discovered, 
  and 
  after 
  

   you 
  turn 
  them 
  down 
  again, 
  they 
  seem 
  to 
  be 
  aware 
  that 
  it 
  is 
  

  

  o 
  ,. 
  •> 
  

  

  