APPENDIX. 353 



Knot— Tringa canutus, Linn. 



Mr. Mackenzie reports this bird as common at the Dornoch Firth ; we 

 ourselves once saw a large flock of waders at the Little Ferry, which 

 we thought referable to this species ; none, however, were procured. 



Sander ling — Calidris arenaria (Linn.) 



Autumn visitant, and scarce. The only place in which we have observed 

 them has been the sandy beach between Brora and Kintradwell. 



Obs. — There are specimens of ruffs (machetes pugnew) in full breed- 

 ing plumage in the Dunrobin Museum, but there is not sufficient 

 evidence of their having been obtained in the county to include them 

 in our list ; they are not recorded by Sheriff Mackenzie from the 

 Dornoch Firth. A ruff in Dunrobin Museum came there from the old 

 collection at the kennels ; but this is all the information regarding it. 



Common Sandpiper — Actitis hypolcueos (Linn.) 



Summer visitant, abundant all through the county, arriving about the 

 end of April, and leaving directly the young are able to fly well. We 

 have met with this species 2500 feet above the sea, in the old pass 

 over Ben Chaorin. Breeds both inland and on the islands of the 

 sea-lochs. 



Green Sandpiper — Totanus ochropus (Linn.) 



Very rare visitant. One shot at Helmsdale in the winter of 1S79 (as far 

 as we can remember) ; came to Inverness to be preserved, where we 

 saw it in Mr. Macleay's shop. 



Redshank — Totanus calidris (Linn.) 



Besident, and abundant ; generally distributed through the whole of 

 the county in the breeding season, preferring those places, generally 

 marshy, where there are tufts of grass in which to hide its nest ; 

 retires to the coast in winter. Barer in the west, but common at one 

 locality in Assynt. Less plentiful about Tongue than the greenshank. 



Greenshank — Totanus glottis (Pall.) 



A summer visitant, generally distributed through the whole of the 

 county. One of the most interesting of the Sutherland birds. On 

 their arrival about the end of April they go almost at once to their 

 nesting-grounds, remaining a very short time on the low lands in the 

 valleys ; when the young are able to fly well they seem to go straight 

 away to the south, not remaining long anywhere about the shores, at 

 least in the east of the county. The nest is generally placed on a dry 

 hillock, amongst stones and lichens, and the young are taken by their 

 parents to the nearest marsh as soon as hatched. 

 Its local name in the west is " Teoch-vingh," in imitation of its cry. 



Bar-tailed Godwit — Limosa lapponica (Linn. ) 

 Autumn and winter visitant, occurring on the south-east coast most 

 seasons, in small parties ; has been seen and shot in the months of 

 September, November, and December. 



Obs.- — Black-tailed Godwit — Limosa melanura (Linn.) 



We would like to know what became of the specimen, said to be of this 

 species, recorded, by "Nether Lochaber" (the Rev. Alex. Stewart of 

 Ballachulish) as having been shot near Helmsdale (Inverness Courier, 

 Dec. 26, 1SS1). Macleay of Inverness has only had one or two in his 

 shop in all his experience, and it is an extremely rare species in Scot- 

 land. 



VOL. II. 2 A 



