SOME BIRD NOTES FROM SOUTH UIST 147 



the plains and along the sea coast, especially among the 

 decayed seaweed and sleeping among the tall reeds in the 

 different marshes. They nest in holes in certain rocks on 

 the hills and as colonies on the face of some of the cliffs, 

 also about farm steadings, etc., as on the mainland. 



The Fieldfare. This well-known migratory bird 

 arrives here in late October and early November, always 

 along with Redwings and Blackbirds. They swarm all over 

 the fields, sheltering along the old stone walls and leave 

 again in March and April. 



The Dipper. This bird is a native of South Uist 

 frequenting the wild lakes and streams, even those that 

 contain no fish of any description. 



The Cuckoo. Arrives at the beginning of May and 

 frequents the same haunts year after year. 



The Short-eared Owl. Breeds freely with us and 

 stays all the year round ; it nests in long heather in quiet 

 unfrequented corries, very often on the same kind of ground 

 as selected by the Hen Harrier, but occasionally about old 

 ruins, where mice, voles, and rats are abundant. I once 

 found a nest on the north side of Ben More, South Uist, 

 containing an egg, a young bird about three or four days 

 old and another just casting off the down and growing 

 feathers. I went back a few days later, found the egg 

 hatched and the three different sized birds in the nest, 

 where they all stayed until fit to fly. Although I have 

 seen many Owls' nests, 1 have never seen such irregularity 

 in the young of the same nest. 



The Snowy Owl. I have only once seen this hand- 

 some bird in the Outer Hebrides, it was procured and is 

 now in Sir Reginald Cathcart's collection. 



The Hen-Harrier. The Hen-Harrier is a resident, 

 but most plentiful in the breeding season as few stay 

 during the winter. They nest on the hills in wild unfre- 

 quented corries, with long rank heather, they feed chiefly 

 on mice, rats, and voles, occasionally they kill Grouse, but 

 very rarely. They hunt the same ground regularly about 

 the same hour every day, skimming low over the turf dikes, 

 ditches, small marshes and cornfields. Sometimes they kill 



