ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 45 



about, and that they must be breeding, as the numbers always are 

 about the same. Two were shot on Netherurd four years ago, but 

 I do not know what became of them, and did not see them. The 

 specimen now recorded takes most decidedly after the Blackcock. 

 GEORGE H. GIBSON CARMICHAEL, Mountaincross. 



Spotted Crake in Islay. As I understand the occurrence of 

 the Spotted Crake (Porzana maruettd) has rarely been observed 

 on the west coast of Scotland farther north than the Firth of Clyde, 

 I may mention that a specimen of this bird was shot by one of my 

 sons on the 2pth September last in the island of Islay. I have every 

 reason to suspect that the bird breeds here on a marsh close to this 

 house. It has been suggested that an effort should be made next 

 year to discover its nest, but this, I fear, is practically impossible. 

 The marsh is a very large one, and some twenty acres of its extent 

 is a quagmire, covered with sedges, and quite inaccessible to human 

 foot. In fact, in two cases within my knowledge persons have 

 narrowly escaped death on attempting it. Water Rails are abundant 

 in the marsh, and I doubt not the Crakes have in consequence often 

 escaped observation. R. SCOT SKIRVING, Foreland, Islay. 



Spotted Crake in Moray (Leach}. A Spotted Crake (Porzana 

 maruettd) was shot on the shores of the Beauly Firth by Mr. F. 

 Cameron, Moniack Castle, on 26th September. This species has 

 been but rarely recorded from any locality on the mainland north of 

 the river Ness. T. E. BUCKLEY, Inverness. 



Great Snipe near St. Andrews. On the 22nd of September 

 last I shot a Great Snipe (Gallinago major) in a small marsh some 

 four miles inland from St. Andrews. It was a female weighing 7 j 

 oz. On the same day I saw a considerable number of Common 

 Snipe in the marsh, very wild and unsettled, and to my knowledge 

 freshly arrived. J. R. M. COOK, St. Andrews. 



Little Stint in the Clyde area. Writing of the Little Stint 

 (Tringa mimtta), Gray states, in his " Birds of the West of Scotland " : 

 " I am not yet able to include this bird as a western species." As 

 this statement has been copied over and over again since the publica- 

 tion of Gray's work (1871), and as Mr. Service can apparently only 

 answer for three examples in Scottish Solway, the following, which 

 relates chiefly to the Clyde area, may be of interest. It has been 

 shot at Ross by Sir George H. Leith Buchanan, as stated by Mr. 

 Lumsden in his "Guide to the Natural History of Loch Lomond." 

 My correspondent Mr. J. Burnett Dick has shot it on the shores 

 of the Clyde between Dumbarton and Helensburgh; and on one 

 occasion at Loch Swein (" Argyle" area), while waiting for ducks, he 

 was tempted to shoot at a flock of small waders which were passing 

 within range, and brought down several Little Stints. Mr. Charles 

 Berry informs me (in lift. i6th March 1896) that in September 1890 



