54 INVERERHE. 



A great many blue or mountain hares breed on these hills 

 owing to the destruction of the vermin. They are very annoying 

 to dogs who are not well broken from running hares, owing 

 to their manner of stopping and reconnoitring their enemy, 

 sitting upon their hind quarters at a short distance from the 

 dogs, and so tempting them to chase. 



On the 9th of September I shot two wigeons as they passed 

 over my head Hying inland in the evening. These birds generally 

 come about the middle of October. The flock I saw consisted of 

 eight or nine, and I am inclined to think had been bred in the 

 country, though their doing so is a very rare occurrence. 



On the 18th of the month I killed a jacksnipe. These birds 

 also come usually near the end of October. They never breed in 

 this country. There had been no severe weather to drive them 

 here earlier than usual. I killed some more jacksnipe during the 

 month. The woodcock was apparently a bird bred in the country. 



Both hawks * were merlins ; the smallest of the two scarcely 

 bigger than a blackbird. 



The land-rails seldom are seen here after July or August. 

 They seem to leave us as soon as their young can accompany 

 them, and it is very rare to find them after the corn is cut. I 

 killed one in some rough ground quite away from their usual 

 haunts. 



Babbits, hares, and also wood-pigeons continue to breed later 

 this year than usual, owing to the fineness of the season. Green- 

 finches also breed till the end of the month. 



Whitethroats and swallows have entirely disappeared before 

 the end of the month, as also swifts, martins, cuckoo, &c. 



A wheatear or two are seen till the beginning of October, but 

 very few. 



Peewits collect in great numbers near the shore, also golden 

 plovers. Great flocks of young gulls of all kinds are seen. 



On the 3rd of October I saw a wood-pigeon's nest with 

 small young ones in it. A day or two afterwards, however, both 

 the young birds were dead. 



* [These hawks had been shot a few days earlier. ED.] 



