218 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



enough to hide them. Later, when the fields of iris have grown, they 

 are seldom to be seen, although their " crake-crake " can be heard 

 everywhere. The bird is a bit of a ventriloquist. I have seen 

 them calling quite near, and the call sounded now far, now near, 

 and in different places. They nest among the fields of yellow iris, 

 which grows luxuriantly over most parts of the island. They 

 prefer hayfields to crops for nesting in. I have counted eighteen 

 eggs in a nest. They leave about September. Sometimes a very 

 few remain all winter. We often get an odd Land-Rail when 

 snipe-shooting in winter, and they are always fat and in good 

 condition. They are excellent birds for the table, but the natives 

 will neither eat the birds nor their eggs, as they say they are 

 " Evin Sith," or " Fairy Birds." There is an old superstition that 

 they remain with the fairies underground all winter, and appear 

 when the warm weather comes. 



Carolina Crake (Porzana Carolina). A specimen of this 

 Crake was got on the Runnach bog, near the west end of the island, 

 in the autumn of 1901. The bird was identified by Dr Bowdler 

 Sharpe, and was exhibited at a meeting of the British Ornithologists' 

 Club. I remember that the bird travelled along under the grass 

 like a mole, and it was only by the keen scent of the spaniel that 

 it was brought to hand. 



Water-Rail (Ralli/s aquatints). Water-Rails are fairly numer- 

 ous during late autumn and winter, and are distributed all over 

 the island where there are bogs and wet ditches. They are very 

 shy, skulking birds, and are seldom seen by the passer-by. When 

 flushed by a spaniel they often fly a short distance, and then 

 run to the nearest cover they can find. A very few remain all 

 summer, and I have found young birds in down when after 

 flappers in August. 



Moorhen {Gallinula chloropus). This species is resident 

 throughout the year, and nests on all the reedy marshes. At the 

 Island Loch they are very tame, and in winter I often see them 

 feeding with the barnyard fowls. Although they are not shot 

 here, they do not seem to increase, nor do they decrease, remaining 

 always about the same in numbers. When handling a wounded 

 bird of this species one has to be careful, as they will scratch like 

 a cat, and inflict severe wounds on the hands. [ 



Coot {Fulica atrd). Coots are abundant throughout the year, 

 but are rather more so during winter. They seem to feed on 

 aquatic grasses and weeds. The natives are not fond of the flesh 



