DISTRIBUTION OF THE WOODCOCK IN FORTH AREA 143 



bered — there were 17° of frost recorded on the night of 

 2nd-3rd May over the greater part of Scotland from Suther- 

 land and Caithness southward : and thereafter long-continued 

 and persistent blizzards of sleet and snow and dreadfully 

 inclement weather, and with winds equally cold from the 

 north-east and from the south-west over the Atlantic, con- 

 tinued right on into late June, as I pointed out at the 

 time. 



How far the results of crowding of these species to the 

 milder central districts of Scotland in that year is due to 

 such a widespread and antagonistic state of affairs at and 

 after the critical time of the nesting operations, or is purely 

 due to mere local influences, is not proved to full satisfaction 

 by the records of one year only. But as regards the facts 

 themselves there can be no doubt. Nor can doubt remain 

 that there is natural truth in the " storm driven theory," 

 whether the driving occurs at the initial start of a movement, 

 or during its progress at intermediate stages, or at the 

 localities of arrival, or by a combination of all these circum- 

 stances. There may be one other " deduction," viz. that, 

 due to the same conditions which prevailed over north and 

 south of the central districts of Scotland the birds delayed 

 their northward flight ; and when they did arrive, found the 

 conditions in Central Scotland more favourable. But this 

 meets with the very pertinent criticism : But would a 

 delayed movement nearly tzuo months after its regular 

 time take place at all} — i.e. would such a movement — even if 

 first nests were destroyed or early broods sacrificed furtJier 

 south, — i.e. would the homing impulse still act two months 

 late, or induce a still further flight northward ? I fancy 

 not, but rather the reverse ! ^ 



Coming to the present season, we are well aware that 

 this spring of 1908 many Grouse and also Pheasants' eggs 

 have been found frozen and addled at the time of the great 

 frosts in April. Forty Grouses' eggs were found in one day 

 on one of our low-lying mosses in the county, and on higher 

 lying ground on my own hill there is good evidence that 



1 The spring movement is from S.W. or S. to N.E. or N. But a "homing 

 impulse " would scarcely act in 2^ further direction to the north after destruction 

 of their first cgs or broods, but wotdd act in the reverse direction. 



