60 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



dry season, but partly to the deepening of a main drain ; and where, 

 in many seasons Snipe were abundant, this season I think a dozen 

 are all that have been seen. Similar reports of their scarcity reached 

 me from Dumbartonshire, and the cause appeared to be the dryness 

 of the season. In Tiree Snipe were plentiful. 



Woodcock. — Scolopax rusticola, Lin. — Woodcock were well in 

 by the end of Oct. this autumn, considerably earlier than usual, 

 and are stated to be very plentiful in many localities. In the 

 Stewartry Mr. Service considers that more bred than in previous 

 years. There cannot be any doubt about the increase in numbers 

 of breeding birds in Scotland and England during the past twenty 

 years or so. After the thaw in November, Woodcock were very 

 scarce everywhere. Only one was shot in Torwood covers on the 

 25th Nov., where, last year, 18 were killed in one day. The most 

 I saw shot in one day was four (and about 12 seen) at West 

 Grange. 



From Ardnamurchan sad accounts were received of the deaths 

 amongst Woodcock and Blackbirds which succumbed during the 

 last week of the great frost in Jan. The headkeeper found more 

 than 20 dead along the sea-shore and on the road-side. He sent 

 none away after the 20th Jan. as they had become so reduced in 

 condition, but Grouse and Partridges were reported as having stood 

 the storm well. 



Turnstone. — Strepsilas interpres, Lin. — Mr. M. Vaughan 

 reports Turnstones unusually abundant in Orkney, and retaining 

 their summer plumage until the end of the third week in Aug. 



Wild Goose. — Anser (sp.?). — Wild Geese arrived at the Solway 

 Firth in the closing days of Sept., and, as Mr. Service informs me, 

 have since increased to extraordinary numbers. Various observers, 

 reporting to Mr. Service, state that never have they been known 

 to arrive so early there before, the beginning of Nov. being the 

 time of their usual first arrival. Nor have they been known before 

 in such large numbers. Mr. Service believes they are Greylag 

 Geese from descriptions, as the Bean Goose is seldom got there. 

 This migration is almost without doubt due to the sudden and 

 intense spasm of cold weather earlier than usual in the season. 

 They are reported as unusually abundant in E. Lothian. 



Wild Swan. — Cygnus (sp.?). — Accounts reached me of the ap- 

 pearance of Wild Swans at several localities. On 13th Oct. two 

 were shot on a pond near Dundee. They were seen that morning 



