SOME BIRD NOTES FROM SOUTH UIST 47 



though in late spring and early summer very fine specimens 

 may be seen. 



The Little Grebe. This little bird is well known 

 everywhere, breeding very numerously on all the lakes and 

 marshes in the Hebrides ; in winter it frequents the sea lochs, 

 feeding at low water round the sheltered rocks in company 

 with Teal, Wigeon, etc. 



The Water Rail. When after Woodcock during winter 

 and early spring, on the east side of South Uist, my spaniels 

 used to flush Water Rails by the sides of the small streams. 

 I also found its nest during summer in dry, long, old grass or 

 rushes not far removed from a marsh or ditch, sometimes 

 containing nine or ten eggs. 



The Corncrake. Swarms as a summer migrant in the 

 Outer Hebrides. 



The Moorhen and the Coot. Resident, breeding 

 numerously in South Uist. 



The Wood-pigeon. I once saw a Wood-pigeon after a 

 severe gale. 



The Rock Dove. Breeds plentifully all along the cliffs 

 and in the caves, and. feeds on the fields along the Atlantic 

 sea-board. 



The Turtle Dove. One once came to Grogarry Lodge 

 and stayed a few days. 



The SandgROUSE. A flock of about fifty Sandgrouse 

 appeared on a large, sandy plain near the Atlantic ; as far as 

 I can remember this was in 1888. We were in hopes that 

 they would breed as they stayed all summer, but we never 

 succeeded in finding a nest. They fly rather like Golden 

 Plover. I shot two and sent them to London to be identified ; 

 they are now in a collection at Grogarry Lodge. 



The Partridge. Partridges were introduced into South 

 Uist and did remarkably well for a few years ; then an 

 exceptionally stormy winter came, hurricane after hurricane 

 all winter, which carried the Partridges out of their feeding 

 grounds, and they never returned. They are very weakly in 

 a high wind ; we saw some of them right out on the moor 



