350 APPENDIX. 



were seen in 1869, and, in the autumn of that year, Mr. Hardcastle 

 killed 16 brace. About the year 1S77 there was only one pair in the 

 district, and even these were not seen every successive year. From 

 Tongue Mr. Crawford writes us, under date March 17, 18S4, " Partridges 

 are extinct (at Tongue) since the severe winter of 1879 : I have only 

 seen one solitary bird since then." 



Quail — Coturnix communis (Bonnaterre). 



Has occurred on the east coast on several occasions between Brora and 

 Dornoch. A deserted nest was obtained by Sheriff Mackenzie in 

 September 1873, and there are also specimens in the Dunrobin Museum. 

 As early as 1830 the Quail is noted as occurring, being included in a 

 list of birds given in A Tour through Scotland, p. 151, as seen there in 

 the then keeper's house at Dunrobin. Several nests have been found 

 about the same district. 



FULICARIyE. 



Family RALLIDvE. 



Corn-Crake — Crex pratensis, Bechstein. 



Summer visitant ; very abundant in the east, being found in every 

 locality where there is any extent of cultivation, and even occasionally 

 out on the barren moor, but the latter rarely. Rare in the west, but 

 a pair or two in most cultivated areas of sufficient size. 



Water-Rail — Rallus aquaticiis, Linn. 

 Winter visitant of not rare occurrence in suitable localities on the east 

 coast. 



Included as a breeding species by Mr. A. G. More in Sub-province 

 35, but we have no further corroborative notes. 



Waterhen— Gallinula chloropus (Linn.) 

 Resident and local; mostly confined to the south-east, where in one 

 place they are very abundant ; we have received eggs from a locality 

 in the north-east, and also seen a bird on a hill loch at a considerable 

 distance from its more usual habitats. 



Only one locality known to us in the west where one pair of birds 

 bred regularly for a number of years. Common at Tongue. 



Coot — Fidica atra, Linn. 

 Scarce ; we have observed this species on Loch Bad-an-eontigh, in the 

 parish of Rogart, and Mr. Crawford of Tongue informs us that he 

 formerly (previous to 1877) observed this species on a small lochan in 

 the parish of Fair, where it bred, but for some years back it had not 

 reappeared there ; we have observed it in one or two other lochs in 

 the east of the county. Has been shot singly at Tongue ; apparently 

 came in from seaward on two occasions. Not hitherto recorded in 

 the west. 



LIMICOL/E. 



Family CHARADRIID^. 



Dotterel — Eudromias morinellus (Linn,) 



There is nothing to add to what has been said by St. John about the 

 Dotterel in his time. Ben Clibrick is the only place in the county 



