418 BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
shore throughout the spring. In their nesting-places they 
feed chiefly on beetles {geodephaga), and are believed to 
destroy the "hill-grub " or larvce of the antler-moth (CharcEas 
graminis) so injurious to upland hill-pastures. The nest 
almost invariably contains four eggs (personally I have 
never seen five and very rarely but three), and these take 
twenty-eight days to incubate. Within thirty hours of 
being hatched the young ones leave the nest, though they 
do not go far from its vicinity. The eggs vary much in 
colour, and measure as a rule " 2'8 to 2*45 inches by 1*95 
to 1*75 inch "* ; but one found at Bennan (Tynron) measures 
3-1 by 2*25 inches. They are much coarser in flavour 
than those of the Lapwing, and there is no market for them 
nowadays ; but it was recorded in 1867 that Curlews' 
eggs fetched sixpence a dozen as compared with a shilUng 
a dozen for Plovers' eggs.f 
Although I have seen an individual bird up in the hills 
so late as November 15th, and have often observed laggards 
there in August and even September, the Curlews bred on 
our uplands come down as a rule to the lower ground 
about July, where they frequent the meadows or cultivated 
land. Here they may stay for a week or two in August (at 
which time they are by no means bad eating), before 
resorting to the flats of sand and mud on the Solway. 
These home-bred birds are joined by those of more northern 
and eastern origin, " and the watcher will note how the 
flocks he has been observing will disappear some dark 
October evening, and how for the next few days only a 
few odd birds will be seen. Then flocks muster up, from 
he knows not where, and again go off, leavmg com- 
paratively few to pass the winter months and enliven 
the wide soHtude of the sand-banks with their movements 
and long-drawn eerie cries."t There can be no doubt 
that the Curlews to be seen on our shore at this season are 
* Col. Figs., Eggs Brit. Birds, 1896, p. 133. 
■j- Dumfries Courier, April 30th, 1867. 
X Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg., 1905, Vol. VIII., p. 57. 
