216 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



young. A small covey of young, about the size of sparrows, 

 just beginning to fly, were seen on the Glebe as late as August 

 1 8, 1897. 



QUAIL, Coturnix communis (Bonnaterre). In " S. A." this species is 

 reported to have been seen near Biggar, but not for many years 

 previous to 1835. 



LAND RAIL, Crex pratensis (Bechstein), local name " Corncrake. "- 

 May be heard, if not seen, in all the meadows and cornfields 

 of the district, where it nests. A nest of five eggs, destroyed 

 by hay-cutting, was taken as late as July 30, 1897, and sent 

 to me. They were quite fresh. It was first heard this season, 

 May 1 6. 



WATER RAIL, Rallus aquaticus, L. A specimen of this bird, shot 

 by Mr. T. Cranston, is preserved in Carmichael House. The 

 species is well known to all the gamekeepers in the district, 

 and to Mr. D. Pringle. 



MOOR HEN, Gallinula chloropus (L.), local name "Stank Hen.''- 

 Common by all the lochs and marshes. In spring it ascends 

 the burns, and nests may be found along the course of 

 Carmichael Burn and in the meadows of the parish. 



COOT, Fulica a/ra, L. By no means so common as the preceding 

 in the parish, there being no sufficiently large ponds available 

 for its resorting to as at Douglas and at Longloch, Lanark, 

 etc. 



CREAM-COLOURED COURSER, Cursorius gallicus (]. F. Gmelin). 

 It may be noted here that a specimen of this bird was shot in 

 a grass field near Lanark on October 7, 1868, by Charles 

 Walker, Esq., then of Braxfield House (vide " B. W. S.," p. 250). 



DOTTEREL, Eiidromias morindlus (L.) Mr. D. Pringle possesses a 

 specimen which was shot in Carluke Parish about twenty-five 

 years ago. 



GOLDEN PLOVER, Charadrius pluvialis, L. Spring, summer, and 

 autumn sojourner. From July onwards they may be seen in 

 large flocks sometimes in hundreds consorting with Lapwings 

 and Starlings until their departure. 



LAPWING, Vandlus vulgaris (Bechstein), local name " Peesweep."- 

 Abounds in the district during nine months of the year. The 

 spring return takes place in the beginning of February in 

 favourable seasons. Nesting commences by the middle of 

 March, and is continued till the end of June, as I have seen 

 young, freshly run, as late as the second week of July. As 

 soon as the young can fly about the middle of June they 

 assemble together, with numbers greatly increased by migrants 

 from other quarters, and frequent the grass lands, turnip-fields, 



