CONTRIBUTIONS TO A FAUNA OF SHETLAND 21 



Garth Bay at the fishing-station, gth October, two at same 

 place on i5th October, and four in West Voe on iSth. 



RING DOVE (Columba palumbus). In 1891, two were seen on the 

 Backasetter Farm, close to Loch Spiggie ; and one was shot 

 on 26th October. It was in poor condition. Curiously, in 

 1892, two again were seen at Loch Spiggie on loth October, 

 and one shot by Captain Macfarlane. 



ROCK DOVE (Columba livid).- Abundant inland during the day, 

 and repairing to the caves at dusk. The old Broch of Mousa 

 is one vast pigeon -house, affording abundance of fine garden 

 manure, which is collected once or twice a year for Sand Lodge 

 garden perhaps a ton annually. 



SPOTTED CRAKE (Porzana maruetta). In 1891, my spaniel 

 " bunched " a Spotted Crake in Culsetter Marsh, and fetched 

 it to me alive ; otherwise, I would not probably have found 

 it. This was on the 26th October. Saxby says, "Not in 

 Shetland "; but Saunders' (" Manual ") says, " Twice in the Shet- 

 lands in October." This one is only the second I have seen 

 alive in Scotland, the first having been flushed in a marsh in 

 Stirlingshire close to our own house some years ago. At the 

 Queen's Hotel, Lerwick, we found another specimen stuffed, 

 which had been shot by Mr. Weber, the landlord, who assured 

 me they were not uncommon, and are usually seen between 

 September and November, and even in the latter month. Mr. 

 Weber added : " I could have shot one two days ago," the 

 2ist September 1892. Mr. Weber appeared to know the 

 Water Rail quite perfectly, though he also gave that name to 

 the Spotted Crake in his possession. Mr. G. H. Bruce of Sand 

 Lodge, writing to Captain Macfarlane, says, " We never find 

 these Rails unless we have a dog, and I was unaware of their 

 existence in Mousa until last year (1891), when we had 

 Furlonger's dog and got three, one of which was different from 

 the other two." 



WATER RAIL (Rallus aquaticus). Saw none in 1891, but shot one 

 and saw another on Loch Hillwell, and obtained two in Mousa, 

 28th September and 2oth October 1892. Said to be quite 

 common, and believed to breed in Shetland. 



COOT (Fi/lica atra}. Common : five or six pairs on Loch Hillwell, 

 and a few also between Lochs Spiggie and Brow. Young in 

 down, one shot at Loch Hillwell, 28th September. 



WATER HEN (Gallinula chloropus). Less common than the Coot. 

 None noticed in 1891, when the marshes were drier; but seen 

 and obtained in 1892, when the marshes were much too wet to 

 hold Snipe. Commonest about Spiggie and Brow. 



