200 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



PTARMIGAN. Resident, but confined to the higher hills. 



RED GROUSE. Breeds throughout the county, frequenting the hills. 



BLACK GROUSE. Same as preceding. I notice it increases rapidly 

 in numbers where young plantations are formed. 



CAPERCAILLIE. Breeds in most of the higher woods. 



WATER RAIL. Not often met with, but breeds in various localities. 

 It is a very shy bird, which accounts in some measure for its 

 being unobserved. 



LAND RAIL. Reaches the shire about the first or second week in 

 May. The bird seems to call more during a shower : at least 

 it seems to me to do so. 



MOOR HEN. Common on all the burn sides and about the water- 

 ways. I have seen some quite tame, and at present know of 

 several pairs that breed in gardens quite close to dwelling- 

 houses. One severe winter lately a number fed daily with my 

 poultry. This year I saw a nest fully eight feet from the 

 ground. 



COOT. Not so common as the last named, but nests wherever 

 suitable sites occur. 



GOLDEN PLOVER. On the moorland and higher ground this bird 

 brings out its brood. During winter they are often seen in the 

 fields, and numbers seek the seaside annually. 



RINGED PLOVER. Although I understand the bird breeds over a 

 rather wide area, I have never seen it unless about the sea 

 margin. 



LAPWING. Extremely common, when one considers the vast quantity 

 of eggs collected by boys all over the shire. These eggs are 

 bought by local shop-keepers and sent in to town merchants, 

 who again dispatch them to London market. 



TURNSTONE. Sometimes observed inland, but more frequently 

 about the sea-shore. Not very common even there. 



OYSTER-CATCHER. To be met occasionally amongst the rocks and 

 shingle at Stonehaven and elsewhere. Breeds on many of the 

 inland streams. 



WOODCOCK. I see numbers every fall, and learn of others being 

 shot in various localities. It is a regular breeder in the shire, 



COMMON SNIPE. Very widely known, but still very sparingly dis- 

 tributed about the marshy banks and flats of the burns. It 

 nests in most of the parishes. 



JACK SNIPE. H. writes it down as a winter visitor. M. secured a 

 specimen last year at Auchinblae. 



