VOL. XIV.] NQTES ON BIRDS IN SOUTH UIST. 277 



Birds seem to resemble the Shetland form in colour, but the 

 size is nearest to the typical race. In a large series it may 

 be advisable to give the Hebridean bird subspecific rank. 



British Dipper {Cinchts c. brttanniciis). — Though I 

 searched the streams for these birds and though conditions 

 were ideal, I never saw a Dipper, neither did the keepers 

 know of the bird in the island. It therefore astonished me 

 to see Guthrie {Ann. Scotf. A^ai. Hist., April 1903) reporting 

 it as common and resident. It has certainly disappeared 

 since Guthrie wrote. 



Hex-H.\rrier {Ciycits cyaneus). — We saw birds every day, 

 and they seemed fairly common. 



Sparrow-H.\wk {Accipiter n. nisiis). — A party of three, 

 obviously on passage, were seen on October 28th travelling 

 south together. 



Grey Lag-Goose [Anser anser). — The Grey Lag-Goose is, 

 as far as I was able to ascertain, a resident, and its numbers 

 are not increased in winter by strangers. The breeding stock 

 in South Uist is about 200 pairs, and this number has not 

 varied much during the last few years. 



White-froxted Goose {Anser albifrons). — A common 

 winter visitor, the bulk arrived in 1920 during the first week 

 in November. 



Barnacle-Goose {Branta lencopsis). — The Barnacle-Goose 

 usually arrives in South LTist during the last fortnight in 

 October, but in 1920 they did not arrive till November 4th. 

 I was fortunate in witnessing their arrival. I was in the 

 centre of the island on Hecla Mountain, when we heard their 

 call. On looking up we saw some 2,000 Barnacle flying 

 overhead from the east and at about 3,000 feet above sea 

 level. They were in small parties of thirty or forty birds. 

 When directly over our head they were attacked by a couple 

 of Peregrines, who spread alarm by stooping through and 

 through the flocks, driving them to ground in zigzag flight 

 and breaking up all the formations. The Peregrines seemed 

 to be merely playing with the poor birds, and I doubt if they 

 meant business. 



Brent Goose {Branta bcrnicla). — A solitary Brent was 

 shot in early November. It is curious that this bird, quite 

 common in Barra and Benbecula, should be so scarce in 

 South Uist. 



Sanderling {Crocethia alba). — None were seen till Novem- 

 ber 13th, when large flocks arrived on the west coast. 



