of the Island of Raasay. 507 



Corn-Crake. Crex pratensis. 



Arrives in considerable numbers from the 21st to the 26th 

 of Ala}-; e,very small field has its pair, and even on the moor 

 and sea-shore there are scattered couples. They leave very 

 early, from the 7th to the 15th of August. On three occa- 

 sions only have I seen a Land-Rail after the 20th of August, 

 and in each case it was flushed out of a bed of bracken. 



Moorhen. Gallinula chloropus. 



Two pairs nest on a sheltered loch every year, but the 

 numbers never increase. About October 15th to 25th they 

 migrate, and none are seen during the winter. 



Coot. Fulica atra. 



Sparingly seen during the autumn and winter ; it does 

 not breed with us, although a few miles away, in Skye, it 

 does so in some suitable localities. 



Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis. 



Resident, a few nests being scattered over the moorland. 

 After gales and snow a large increase takes place ; 1 have 

 seen flocks of between two and three hundred birds together 

 on the shore during exceptionally hard weather. 



Ringed Plover. sEgia/itis hiaticola. 

 This charming little bird nests on the shore wherever there 

 is any shingle. 



Lapwing. Vanellus vulgaris. 



From twelve to fifteen pairs breed on one part of the 

 ground and confine themselves to it, although thousands of 

 acres of laud appear equally well adapted for their require- 

 ments. About the same number return every year, but 

 they do not increase, although they are not molested in 

 any way. 



Oyster-catcher. Htematopus ostralegus, 



Scattered at more or less regular intervals all round the 

 coast-line ; they return year after year to nest in the same 

 spots. For five successive years one place was occupied by 

 a pair, and woe to another Oyster-catcher or Gull which 



