Chapter I: Preface: ix

I. WATCHING GREAT PLOVERS, ETC. 3

II. WATCHING RINGED PLOVERS, REDSHANKS, PEEWITS, ETC. 21

III. WATCHING STOCK-DOVES, WOOD-PIGEONS, SNIPE, ETC. 35

IV. WATCHING WHEATEARS, DABCHICKS, OYSTER-CATCHERS, ETC. 67

V. WATCHING GULLS AND SKUAS 96

VI. WATCHING RAVENS, CURLEWS, EIDER-DUCKS, ETC. 129

VII. WATCHING SHAGS AND GUILLEMOTS 163

VIII. WATCHING BIRDS AT A STRAW-STACK 199

IX. WATCHING BIRDS IN THE GREENWOODS 225

X. WATCHING ROOKS 257

XI. WATCHING ROOKS--_CONTINUED_ 274

XII. WATCHING BLACKBIRDS, NIGHTINGALES, SAND-MARTINS, ETC. 301

INDEX 338

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

_Male Oyster-catchers piping to the Female_ _Frontispiece_
_Photogravure_

_Dancing of Great Plovers in Autumn_ _facing page_ 12
_Photogravure_

_Great Plovers: A Nuptial Pose_ _Page_ 19

_Master and Pupil: Hooded-Crow flying with Peewits_ " 29

_Stock-Doves: A Duel with Ceremonies_ " 40

_Turtle Doves: The Nuptial Flight_ _facing page_ 50
_Photogravure_

_Great Skuas: Nuptial Flight and Pose_ " " 100
_Photogravure_

_Ravens: The Game of Reversi_ _Page_ 135

_Habet! Great-Crested Grebe Attacked by Another Under Water_ " 150

_Love on a Rock: Shags During the Breeding Season_ _facing page_ 168
_Photogravure_

_On a Guillemot Ledge_ " " 192

_Fairy Artillery: Willow-Warbler Pecking Catkins in Flight_ _Page_ 254

_Rooks: A Winter Scene_ " 279

_In a Sand-Pit_ _facing page_ 328
_Photogravure_

_All the above from Drawings by_ J. SMIT.