514 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



on mountain -tops in north Britain. Its extraordinary tameness 

 makes examination at close-quarters possible, and characteristic 

 white stripes over eyes, white breast-band and chestnut lower- 

 breast and flanks are apparent, but general coloration is highly 

 cryptic ; indeed white shaft of outer primaries and white tail-tips 

 are only salient features in display designed to distract attention 

 from young. Call-note a sweet, twittering whistle " wit-e-wee 

 wit-e-wee wit-e-wee " (Aplin). Alarm-note when young in danger 

 a low " oo-ee." " Keerie keerie," a note resembling one of the 

 Arctic Tern reduced to a whisper, was uttered by a bird brooding 

 young at my feet. 



Breeding-habits. — In British Isles haunts mountain tops during 

 breeding-season, chiefly from 3200 ft. to over 4000 ft. Nest. — A 

 shallow depression in the moss, with sometimes a few lichens, which 

 are possibly accidental. Eggs. — In British Isles normally 3, but 

 sometimes 2 only, with light yellowish -stone ground, blotched and 

 spotted brown -black and a few ashy shellmarks. Average of 100 

 eggs, 40x28.7. Max.: 46.4x30.6 and 43.7x31. Min. : 37.6x 

 28.4 and 39.3x26.8 mm. Breeding -season. — Begins last fortnight 

 May, but often not till early June. Late July eggs probably second 

 layings. Incubation. — Slater, Pearson and Gloger have found males 

 incubating, but on two or three occasions, females are said to have 

 been shot from nests. Period " rarely more than 18-20 days " 

 (Heysham). Single brooded. 



Pood. — Mainly earthworms and insects, especially small beetles 

 (Bembidium, Elater, Silpha, Pachygaster, Dorcadion, etc.) and their 

 larvse. Small mollusca also eaten. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Summer -resident (4th week April 

 and early May, early dates March 25, 1843, April 4, 1909, Sussex, 

 April 8, 1909, Lanes., to Aug. and Sept.), and passage -migrant (early 

 May to mid- June and mid -Aug. to end Oct.). Breeds Lake District 

 (very sparingly) and in Cairngorm and Grampian ranges as well as a 

 few localities north of Spey valley and west of Great Glen, and has 

 extended to south of Loch Tay. Formerly bred Kirkcudbright 

 and probably Dumfries. As passage -migrant has occurred many 

 localities England and south Scotland and occasionally Wales, but 

 only rarely west and north Scotland, including Orkneys and 

 Shetlands, and twice Plannan Isles (O. Hebrides). In Ireland 

 fourteen times, Munster and Ulster, chiefly autumn, but twice 

 (flock of twenty and party of three) in April. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in north Scandinavia, Lapland 

 and north Russia, Novaya Zemlia, Waigatz, and Arctic Asia 

 (Taimyr, Yenisei, Lena), also in small numbers on the German 

 Biesengebirge (on frontier of Silesia and Bohemia), Styria, Carinthia 

 and Transylvania. Migratory, wintering chiefly in north Africa, 

 Syria, Palestine, Arabia, and Persia. Casual Canaries, Alaska, 

 Japan. 



