Young of P 'alias's Sand-Grouse. 213 



" When I returned from Norway at the end of July, I 

 asked what had been seen at Binsness, and the keeper told 

 me that some Sand-Grouse had appeared again, and that he 

 had lately seen two birds fly from the water across a wood 

 to the sandhills. So, a day or two after, I went a walk round, 

 and at last I saw two Sand-Grouse get up together. They 

 flew only about fifty yards, so I waited nearly an hour to try 

 and find out where they would go to ; but it was no use as 

 they, being shy birds, had seen me. The next day I stalked 

 them, and got to the back of a hillock close to them, where 

 I saw them feeding on the ground. Being nearly in the 

 same place I concluded that they must have eggs and young. 

 I had no dog with me, so I did not try to look. Next day 

 the keeper and I went to the same place and put the birds 

 up. Then we began to search, and at last the dog found close 

 to us the young one I sent to you. They are very difficult to 

 find. We did not look for any more, as I did not wish to take 

 any more or to disturb the birds ; but I have no doubt there 

 were two more. You are quite welcome to exhibit the 

 bird, as I dare say not many have been seen. I fancy it is 

 the same pair that bred here last year, as it was close to the 

 same place." 



I subsequently learned that Major Chad wick was accom- 

 panied on this occasion by the very man and dog who found 

 the young birds in 1888. 



Mr. Cullingford, after skinning the specimen, obligingly 

 sent me its body, and I forwarded the contents of its crop to 

 Mr. Robert Service of Maxwelltown, who was so good as to 

 inform me that, young as the bird was, he found it to contain 

 45 seeds, three of which were those of Rye-grass (Lolium 

 perenne), one of Tufted Hair-grass {Air a caspitosa), and one 

 of Broom (Cytisus scoparius) — which last I had myself seen. 

 Though he was careful to sow all these seeds without delay, 

 only three of them germinated, namely, two of Poa annua 

 and one of Polygonum persicai'ia, the vitality of the rest 

 having apparently been destroyed by the spirit in which they 

 had, though only for a few hours, been immersed ; but it 

 is possible that some were unripe. 



SER. VI.— VOL. II. Q 



