io ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



parts of Scotland long before the date of Mr. Newall's experiences 

 (i.e. "Scottish Moors and Indian Journals," 1887, p. 54). And 

 in support of the first statement I have Mr. D. Mackenzie's com- 

 munication that " I hear no account of the Woodcock nesting in 

 this island i.e. Lewis and I don't think they do. If there were 

 any about the Castle grounds they would be seen, no doubt." Of 

 course we have the undoubted occurrence of it breeding farther 

 south, viz. in North Uist. 



Mr. C. V. A. Peel considers that Barra is the best cock-ground 

 in the Isles in his experience. 



At the present time, correspondents seem to agree that Wood- 

 cocks are not so abundant as formerly, i.e. in the winter and 

 shooting season, and some correspondents hold that they have 

 never recovered from the effects of a severe winter in the isles in 

 1894-95. In 1901, Woodcock are again reported as not plentiful. 



On migration, I have accounts of it passing as far south and west 

 as Monach and Flannan Isles (October 1893; "Ann. Scot. Nat. 

 Hist." October 1894), but none, so far as I can find, farther 

 south in the Outer Hebrides. 



The time of their arrival in autumn is given as about the third 

 week in October. The first observed of the season 1893 was on 

 October 29. 



Mr. Peel gives some interesting data as to the regular arrivals of 

 Woodcocks in the Isles, which I think worth reproduction. 



Mr. Peel says : " The Woodcock makes its appearance in the 

 Outer Hebrides in mid-October, almost to a day. In 1895, on 

 October 14; in 1896, on October 15; in 1897, on October 18 ; 

 in 1898, on October 17." Mr. M'Elfrish follows Mr. Peel's account 

 with the information that they "come to North Uist every year. 

 The first of them arrive regularly from October 20 to October 25. 

 Several years the first were found in Benbecula on October 23. 

 Earliest, October 14, and latest, October 27. By November the 

 bulk may be said to have arrived. The numbers vary in different 

 years. I have known of 60 being shot in two days." 



These accounts of Mr. Peel and Mr. M'Elfrish are followed up 

 by the dates of their occurrences in the northern portions of the 

 Long Island, and can scarcely fail to interest the student of migra- 

 tion, as well as be useful to the sportsman. Mr. Radclyffe Waters 

 writes as follows : " Woodcock are far less abundant at Gress than 

 at Galston, but on both shootings it has been much scarcer since the 

 great frost of 1894-95. In that year I received 176 Woodcock from 

 Galston, and after that they had become too thin to be worth shoot- 

 ing, and the keeper was picking up many dead ones along the shore, 

 along with Gulls, Golden Plover, etc. That was the best year for 

 Woodcock of my tenancy ; the numbers in the previous years being 

 126, 127, 99, 37, and in 1895-96 falling to 30." Mr. Radclyffe 



