216 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



M'Elfrish : " A few pairs were introduced by Sir Arthur Campbell 

 Orde at Newton a few years ago. For the first year or two they 

 did fairly well, a covey or two having been reared ; but latterly these 

 have disappeared. This season a fresh introduction has been made." 

 These remarks apply to North Uist. 



QUAIL (Coturnix communis), p. 1 17. Dr. M'Rury heard at least 

 four or five different birds in the minister's glebe in Barra in June 

 to September 1893, and he tells us that he failed to flush any of 

 them ; but that the Rev. J. W. Macdonald, who had frequently 

 accompanied him in his searches, was more fortunate, and succeeded 

 in raising one on wing ("Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist." 1894, p. 246). 



(The Migration Reports announce the unusual numbers of 

 quails in Scotland that year, and the fact of their breeding not 

 uncommonly in Shetland, even in North Unst.) 



PTARMIGAN (Lagopus mutus), p. 118. That Ptarmigan are rare 

 in the Outer Hebrides there can scarcely be room for doubt, but it 

 seems difficult to gather positive data as to their numbers and as to 

 whether they are really decreasing. Referring to 1866, I have the 

 note that a covey was seen upon the old haunt, viz. Cleisham, in 

 North Harris, on September 2 (auct. A. Burn -Murdoch, in lit., 

 December 5, 1901). 



And in 1893, as I am informed by Mr. C. V. A. Peel, that 

 gentleman saw three flying round Sobhal, near Uig, Lewis, in 

 September, but he failed to see them again when he went especially 

 to look for them. 



From South Harris all information is negative, unless a bird 

 seen upon the Luscantire hills, and reported to Mr. J. Finlayson, 

 gamekeeper in South Harris, was one. It was described as " like 

 a grouse, but white and grey," and his informant adds, " I suppose 

 it was a Ptarmigan from North Harris. There were a few there at 

 that time, viz. about 1890 or 1891." 



Mr. D. Mackenzie, writing from Stornoway, says : " The last I 

 have seen was in the Park of Lewis in 1884 or 1885, but I have 

 not been on the higher hills in The Lews since those years. There 

 never were very many of them, but I think it most likely that there 

 are still a few of them thereabout." 



But later, I have received the statement from the head game- 

 keeper and forester in " The Park," that a decided increase has 

 taken place there since he came to the place some twenty years 

 ago, and he speaks of at least twelve pairs on one hill. 



GROUSE (Lagopus scoticus), p. 118. In continuation of our 

 previous remarks under this species I have not much to add, except 

 that proprietors and shooting tenants have become much more alive 

 to facts. The proprietor of the Long Island has realised that it has 

 become advisable to introduce fresh blood, and has put down 



