312 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



and from this habit its presence may have been overlooked. From 

 the records given, it will be seen that, in the meantime at least, it 

 can only be ranked in Scotland as a rare autumnal visitant. 



THE COMMON SNIPE. 



SCOLOPAX GALLINAGO. 

 Eun-ghabrag. Croman loin. Mennan aidheir. Naosg. 



AN abundant species all over the western counties and both groups 

 of islands. Its ordinary haunts the trackless moors and mosses 

 which characterize much of our western scenery are but seldom 

 invaded, save by the sportsman who halts but a short time as he 

 passes in quest of larger game; hence in the absence of merlins and 

 peregrines, now so systematically killed, snipes have multiplied to 

 a great extent. On some of the lower grounds, especially on 

 the mainland where drainage is now carried on beneficially, the 

 species is not quite so numerous, two or three pairs at most being 

 found where formerly as many hundreds were reared. These chiefly 

 frequent drains and ditches, which in very warm seasons are nearly 

 dried up, and consequently a poor haunt indeed for a soft-billed 

 wader. In the hot summer of 1863, great numbers of stupified 

 Snipes might have been seen located on the banks of the river 

 Kelvin, near Glasgow, having, no doubt, been driven from their 

 usual haunts which, in many places, had become an expanse of 

 hardened clay. 



On the Outer Hebrides, where the moist heaths are many miles 

 in extent, Snipes are extremely numerous, and appear to be resident 

 the whole year. In some parts of Benbecula, North Uist, and 

 Harris, they frequent in severe winters exposed places in their 

 anxiety for a meal, and on these occasions they may be seen probing 

 the bare ooze in large companies like a flock of dunlins. 1 have 

 nowhere else seen similar multitudes of Snipes exposed in a body 

 to a raking shot. On these islands the Snipe breeds on the 

 margins of the fresh water lakes, as well as on the highest moun- 

 tains, their nests being found in patches of marshy ground at an 

 elevation of upwards of 1 800 feet. 



In East Lothian, I noticed, many years ago, that large numbers 

 of Snipes frequented the sea shore, near Dunbar, at ebb tide, 



