OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 169 



long legs folded beneath it on some dry spot, as if basking in the 

 hot sunshine. They are by no means shy birds, yet if too closely 

 pursued they soon take to the air, often running a little way with 

 wings open before rising. Their flight is slow and straight, the 

 neck outstretched and the long legs pressed close to the body 

 under the tail, beyond which they project for some distance. The 

 wings are beaten with slow and regular motion, and during flight 

 the bird from time to time droops its legs as if about to alight, 

 although high above the ground. They are said to be rather 

 quiet birds, but when their breeding places are invaded they soon 

 become noisy enough in their anxiety for their eggs and young. 

 The usual call-note is a clear kee-kee-kee, and the alarm notes may 

 be syllabled as kit-kit-kit and a rattling peur-r-ree. The food 

 of the Common Stilt consists of moUusks, and such aquatic 

 insects as beetles, gnats, dragon-flies, etc. 



Nidification. — The date of the breeding season of the 

 Common Stilt varies a good deal according to locality. In Spain 

 they commence laying by the end of April or first few days of 

 May ; in the valley of the Danube, near the Black Sea, they are 

 more than a month later ; whilst in India the greater number are 

 laid in June, but the birds begin to lay about the same time as 

 those that breed in Spain. This bird breeds in colonies of 

 varying size, some consisting of only a few pairs, others of several 

 hundreds. The nest is made in a great variety of situations, and 

 varies considerably in size and materials. If the ground is wet 

 the nest is more bulky than when made in drier situations. Some 

 nests are absolutely in the water, heaps of dead reeds and other 

 aquatic vegetation, rising from two to three inches above the water- 

 level ; others are made on the mud, and are smaller. A great 

 breeding station of this bird is situated at some salt works near 

 Delhi, in Upper India. These works consist of acres upon acres 

 of shallow pools lined with lime, and divided from each other by 

 strips of ground from one to six feet in breadth. On these narrow 

 strips, and in the shallowest of the pools, the birds make their 

 nests. These are remarkably curious structures — little platforms 

 made of pieces of lime, raised about three inches high and from 

 seven to twelve inches across, on which is strewn a small quantity 

 of dry grass as a bed for the eggs. Many nests are made close 



