Wanderings of a Naturalist 



the hen bird rise from her nest not three yards from me. 

 She flew away in silence, moving low and just skimming the 

 tops of the heather plants. 



In the nest were three newly-hatched yoyng and a piece 

 of egg-shell. To all appearance the youngsters were, at the 

 outside, but three days old, having probably hatched out on 

 June 12. Clad in thick coats of white down, they had a 

 pinkish tinge on them. Both parent birds showed great 

 anxiety, circling round and calling repeatedly, their cries 

 being not unlike those of the peregrine, though le$s powerful. 



At times they alighted on the moor, choosing a ridge from 

 where they had the nesting site under observation. The nest 

 was well protected by long heather, and was invisible till one 

 was standing almost over it. I was interested to see the 

 remains of what was probably the nest of the previous year, 

 only about a foot distant, and practically joined to the ntest 

 in use. 



Curlew, golden plover and grouse were all nesting in the 

 vicinity, and seemed quite undisturbed by the circling of the 

 hawks. 



On June 21 I again visited the nest. A strong breeze of 

 west wind swept the uplands, driving white clouds before it. 

 In the alternating sun and shade the moors were at their best, 

 and noany miles of hill-country extended as far as the eye 

 could reach. Curlew and golden plover were here in plenty, 

 the trembling cry of the whaup mingling with the pipe of the 

 plover. Most of their broods had hatched off ere this, but 

 one curlew was still brooding her four large pear-shaped eggs 

 as I passed. Very agitated she was, and did a thipg which 

 I have never known a self-respecting curlew do — alighted on 

 the post of a fence redshank-wise, and in this unusual position 

 repeated without ceasing her alarm cry. 



Although only six days had elapsed since my last visit 

 to the young merlins, there was now a great change in their 

 appearance. Their white down had taken on a greyish tinge, 

 and already their tail feathers were beginning to sprout. No 



34 



