NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF ETTRICK 21 



Capercaillic in the coloration of its under surface, and, to a 

 great extent, the same may be said of the back also. 



The fourth, or Stronchullin, example decidedly presents 

 the greatest departure from the typical coloration of either of 

 its parental forms. Its feather regions have their colours 

 strangely modified, so that few of the plumes can be re- 

 garded as typical of either Capercaillie or Pheasant. It is 

 not, however, a bird of beauty ; and though a fine creature, it 

 is certainly not so from wearing the proverbial fine feathers. 



It will have been noted that all the known specimens of 

 this hybrid between the Capercaillie and the Pheasant are 

 of the male sex. This may, perhaps, be accounted for by 

 the fact that such birds naturally fall under the observation 

 of sportsmen, many of whom would not be likely to detect 

 in the sombre plumage of the female of this hybrid an ex- 

 tremely rare bird ; or it may be such a specimen might be 

 considered to belong to a commoner cross. 



In conclusion, it remains to be stated that nothing what- 

 ever is known of the sex of the particular parent species 

 from which any of these interesting hybrids have sprung. 

 This, however, was not to be expected, since one and all of 

 these crossbred birds are the offspring of wild parents. 



NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF ETTRICK. 



By PETER ADAIR. 



THE present paper has been compiled from observations 

 made on the bird-life of Ettrick, in the course of annual 

 visits which have been made to that district during the past 

 twenty years. These visits, each of which lasted several 

 days, occurred, as a rule, in June ; but on several occasions 

 additional incursions were made in autumn and in spring. 



The area is most interesting to the ornithologist ; and, 

 what is of consequence, it is easy of access during the 

 summer months by rail and coach. 



The river Ettrick has its source in Capel Fell, a high hill 

 at the south-western extremity of Selkirkshire, and after a 



