136 



concussion, and naturally fell to my share to pay 

 for. 



This is one of the few birds that I have seen 

 in the act of striking the wires of the telegraph. 

 While the train was entering the station at Tain in 

 Boss-shire one evening in March, 1869, I noticed a 

 snipe spring from the side of the line, and rising 

 straight in the air come in contact with the wire 

 and immediately fall disabled to the ground. As I 

 was returning from shooting in the neighbourhood 

 I had my gun with me, and on proceeding to the 

 spot I bagged in the few minutes of daylight that 

 were left four and a half couple of Snipe and an 

 immature Golden Eye. The greater part of the 

 birds rose from a small brick drain of water that 

 ran from the station, two or three escaping through 

 flying off in line with the telegraph wires, as I was 

 afraid to fire lest some damage (the station-master 

 being present) might be laid to my charge. 



The specimens in the case were obtained in 

 Pevensey Levels, in the winter of 1866 ; here 

 formerly a good bag of long bills might usually be 

 made during autumn, winter and early spring. 

 For the last ten or twelve years however their 

 numbers have been gradually falling off, till at the 

 present time I am afraid the ground is almost use- 

 less as a Snipe beat. 



See "Bough Notes," Vol. IT., Plate 25. 



YELLOW BUNTING. 

 Case 190. 



The Yellowhammer is one of our commonest 

 birds, being plentiful at all times and seasons. 



I once observed a large number of these birds 

 together with chaffinches feeding on the flesh of a 

 horse which was hanging against a dog kennel in 

 the Highlands during a heavy snowstorm. On the 

 joints being placed on the ground, and the snow 



