214 ACCURATE OBSERVERS WANTED. CHAP. xr. 



feathers are about an inch longer than the others. 

 The bill is longish and pointed. Though termed bee- 

 eaters, they also feed on beetles, gnats, grasshoppers, 

 and flies, etc. The most of these they capture on the 

 wing, somewhat after the fashion of the Goatsucker 

 and Swallow. Although a scarce bird with us, they 

 are common in their native countries. In Asia 

 Minor and the adjacent lands to the north, and in 

 Northern Africa, they are said to be so abundant as 

 to be seen flying about in thousands." 



Among the rarer birds found in the district, were 

 the Bohemian Waxwing or Chatterer (Boniby cilia 

 garrula), whose native home is Bohemia, the Black 

 Eedstart (Phcenicurus Tithys), a bird that had never 

 before been met with in Scotland. Edward, in de- 

 scribing this bird, says, " It is quite possible that it 

 may have visited the country before ; but from the 

 neglect, or rather contempt, with which natural 

 science is regarded in this part of the country, it may 

 have visited us, and even bred amongst us, unknown 

 and unrecorded. There is plenty of work among us 

 for Naturalists. A great deal has yet to be learnt 

 regarding the various branches of natural science. 

 There is nothing better calculated for the purpose 

 than attentive and accurate local observers" 



On one occasion, when out shooting on the sands 

 west of Banff, Edward brought down a very rare 

 bird. It was a brown snipe (Macroramplms griseus), 

 a bird well known in North America, but not in 

 Britain. Here is Edward's story : 





