ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES MADE IN ISLAND OF BUTE 147 



Ringed Plovers, in flocks of half a dozen up to 30 or 40, were 

 frequently observed ; and along the whole of the west coast 

 Golden Plover were abundant from the commencement of the 

 storm. The tameness of the latter (I often walked to within 15 

 to 20 yards of a group before they rose) told how seldom their 

 haunts were disturbed by the shore-shooter. 



VANELLUS VULGARIS, Bechst. Lapwings in considerable numbers 

 appear to winter in Bute. During all the time I was there they 

 were seen almost daily, and Mr. Bodin tells me some remained 

 throughout the storm. The following jottings from my diary will 

 best give an idea of their numbers : ist January, 20 on grass-field 

 beside Loch Ascog ; 4th January, 30 to 40 in field near Kingarth ; 

 9th January, 70 flying over between Kingarth and Lubas ; loth 

 January, 17, St. Ninian's Bay. 



STREPSILAS INTERPRES (Z.) and H^MATOPUS OSTRALEGUS, Z. 

 Although the rocky foreshores of Bute seem so admirably suited to 

 the habits of the Turnstone, I did not find it at all plentiful ; small 

 groups (of from 4 to 9) to the north of Kilchattan, between 

 Ardscalpsie and St. Ninian's Bay, and between St. Ninian's and 

 Ettrick Bay, being all that I saw. Oyster-catchers, on the other 

 hand, were abundant. 



SCOLOPAX RUSTICULA, Z., GALLiNAGO ccELESTis (Frenz.}, and 

 G. GALLINULA, Z. Woodcock were flushed on a good many 

 occasions both inland (in the woods and on the moors) and close to 

 the shore. The Common Snipe abounded in the meadows and 

 marshes around the lochs, as well as in ditches by the fields and 

 roadsides. In walking round Loch Quien I put up between 20 

 and 30. Solitary examples of the Jack Snipe were several times 

 flushed in boggy spots by Loch Fad and Loch Quien. Mr. Bodin 

 tells me that many Snipe and Woodcock were found dead or in a 

 dying condition during the storm. 



TRINGA ALPINA, Z., and T. CANUTUS, Z. A group of Dunlins 

 (30 to 40) was several times observed in Kilchattan Bay, and on 

 two occasions a flock of about 80 was noticed in St. Ninian's Bay. 

 The only Knots identified were a flock of 20 in Kilchattan Bay on 

 4th January. The absence of extensive mudflats is sufficient, how- 

 ever, to account for the paucity of Tringce and some other " waders " 

 with similar habits. 



TOTANUS CALIDRIS (Z.). Redshanks, on the other hand, find just 

 such a coast as suits them well, and consequently they were plentiful 

 on most parts of it. 



NUMENIUS ARQUATA (Z.). So was the Curlew, of which flocks 

 of over a hundred were several times seen. 



