«6n&r 



I. 



G^^tfiemi, 



Iona, 20th January 1852. 



On the 9th of this month, besides a most terrific gale of wind, we 

 also had a very heavy fall of snow. I ventured out for a short 

 time, in hopes of meeting some " straggler." Numerous flocks of 

 Snow Buntings (Plectrophanes nivalis) were cowering among the 

 stubbles, the males in beautiful white plumage : this bunting 

 is only a rare visitor to our island. As I 

 was returning home, my dog chased what 

 I thought was a large rat, for some 

 little distance over the snow ; he 

 brought it to me unhurt, and it 

 proved to be a Water-rail (liallus 

 , aquaticus), the first I have seen here. It 

 has lived ever since in a box, feeding on chopped meat, which it 

 will take freely from the hand ; indeed, it is so tame that it 

 has already become an item in the family group, and when 

 released from its box, it stalks about the hearth-rug without 

 making the least effort to escape. 



D 



