Contribution to Vertebrate Fauna of West Ross-shire. 409 
Perdix cinerea, Latham. PARTRIDGE. 
Sparingly distributed where there is cultivated land, and 
said to be fairly numerous in Dundonnell. 
Lagopus mutus (J/ontin). PTARMIGAN. 
Common on most of the higher mountains. The nests that 
have come under our notice have been placed on the slopes 
some little way down from the summit ridge, and usually on 
the sunny side of the hill. 
Lagopus scoticus (Latham). RED GROUSE. 
Generally distributed, but varying much in numbers from 
year to year in different parts of the area. The general con- 
sensus of opinion seems to be that the grouse are decreasing 
in most districts, the reasons given being disease, wet seasons, 
and—in Applecross—the destruction of eggs and young by 
the rooks. 
Tetrao tetrix, Zinn. BLACK GAME. 
Fairly numerous, and increasing in the woods around Loch 
Torridon. When wire fences were first put up at Shieldaig 
the black game were nearly all destroyed by flying against 
them; but this cause of destruction gradually ceased to 
operate as the birds became accustomed to the wires, and the 
numbers are now nearly at their former level. Reported as 
decreasing of late years in Dundonnell and Applecross. 
Crex pratensis (Bechst.). LLANDRAIL. 
Summer visitant to the cultivated lowlands, where it is 
fairly abundant, but varying in numbers from year to year. 
Gallinula chloropus (Zinn.). Moor-HEn. 
Very local and few in number; may be regarded as a rare 
bird in Applecross. 
