APPENDIX. BIRDS. 411 



nor winter are they so plentiful as they were. Drainage is said 

 to be the cause of their comparative scarcity. 



SCOLOPAX GRISEA [The Brown Snipe], 



Some specimens of this bird have been met with near Banff, but it 

 is rarely seen. 



SCOLOPAX GALLINULA [Jack Snipe], 



A winter visitor only, so far as I am aware, and by no means so 

 numerous as the preceding. The jack snipe would appear to 

 be a solitary animal ; at least I have never seen more than two 

 of them together (of course in winter), but more commonly only 

 one ; in fact, they are nearly always seen single. Unlike the 

 others, however, I have seen them return to the same spot three 

 times, after being as often fired at. 



TKINGA SUBARQUATA [Curlew Sandpiper}. 



I have only met with one specimen of which I can speak with 



certainty. 

 TRINGA CANUTUS [Knot]. 



A few generally visit us every autumn on their southward pass- 

 age. They are remarkably easy of approach. 



TRINGA MINUTA [Little Stint], 



A very fine little fellow. I once had a desperate hunt after one. 

 (See p. 140.) 



TRINGA TEMMINCKII [Temminck's Stint], 



Mr. Taylor, gamekeeper to the Earl of Fife, once shot a specimen 

 on the Deveron bank. 



TRINGA VARIABILIS [Dunlin], 



This bird breeds in a few of our marshy places, and may now and 

 then be met with along the coast. Towards autumn large 

 flocks appear, but they do not remain long. Specimens may be 

 picked up occasionally, during winter, almost pure white, except 

 the bill, legs, and feet, which retain their usual colour. This 

 species appears to differ considerably in size, the legs and bills 

 included, the larger birds often having the shortest bills. 



TRINGA MARITIMA [Purple Sandpiper], 



A rock-loviug species whilst with us, never leaving the rocks unless 

 from necessity. They are gregaiious, and huddle so closely 

 together that I have known as many as twenty-three killed at 

 one shot. I have killed them occasionally during summer, their 

 colour being then of a rufous or rusty character, or more like 

 that of the dunlin, the purple gloss and dark gray plumage of 

 winter having all but disappeared. 



GALLINULA CREX [Landrail], 



" Corn craig "or " crake." Very sparingly distributed here. It 

 arrives generally at the beginning of May, and departs usually 

 in September, but I have seen it as late as December. These 

 birds often feign themselves dead, when hard pressed, rather 

 than fly, a fact that may seem incredible to those who have 



