60 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



Turnstone (Strepsilas interpres). Common in 

 autumn, winter, and spring, and a fe^v birds in full 

 summer plumage are to be seen during the breeding 

 season. At the east end of Egilshay I saw several 

 in June and July at a point called the " Grand." 



Oyster-catcher (Hcemafojotis ostralegus ). A very 

 abundant species in summer, but scarce in winter, 

 though no^v and then a stray individual, sometimes 

 a flock, will appear for a day or two. They breed 

 abundantly everywhere in suitable localities along 

 the coast, sometimes even in grassy ledges of the 

 rocks, as I found one nest by accident in such a 

 position, lined as usual with small stones, and con- 

 taining the usual three eggs. The Oyster-catcher 

 runs from its nest, and while it has eggs is usually 

 silent, but when the young are hatched it is 

 noisy enough. By the time the young have grown 

 up they have assumed the adult winter plumage, the 

 colour of the legs and bill being rather paler. They 

 are capital swimmers, taking readily to the water 

 even when not closely pursued. 



Fam. Scolopacidce. 



Woodcock (ScoIojkix rusticola) . Only appears in 

 any numbers when there is frost and snow. Pro- 

 bably they are driven in then from other quarters. 

 Should the weather get very severe they all leave. 



Common Snipe (Scolopax galUnago). Very abun- 

 dant, especially in summer and early autumn. They 

 breed in all the marshy ground through the islands, 

 fresh eggs being abundant about the first week of 

 June. Their nests are placed in tufts of grass, deeply 

 cup-shaj)ed and lined wath grass, well concealed like 

 a Redshank's. The hen generally gets off it when 

 one is some little distance away, rises into the air 

 Tvith a spring, and then falls again, often calling at 

 the same time. The summer of 1883 being a very 

 dry one, quantities of snipe collected round Loch 

 Wasbister and the adjacent marshes. In one place 

 so thick were they that I believe I could have shot 



