9168 Birds. 
Sanderling.— August 17. Shot a bird of this species. On the 28th 
three more were procured. 
Wild Duck.—July. On visiting the ruined Castle at Loch Spynie, 
young ducks were to be seen skulking and hiding among the long 
grass. Some caught for inspection were nearly full grown, and on 
being released flew into the loch. Later in the year a drake was shot 
on the coast, measuring 373 inches in extent of wings. 
Golden Plover.—October 22. Found a large flock on the sea-shore ; 
secured four. When the hills are covered with snow vast numbers of 
plovers are to be seen on the sands at low water probing for worms. 
I found them unsuspicious at first, but after being fired at they could 
only be approached under cover of the grass-covered sand-hillocks, 
Turnstone.—October 25. Shot a bird of this species, the only one 
observed. 
Shore Pipit—November 6. Shot one of these pipits, which appears 
scarce on this coast. 
Purple Sandpiper—November 11. Found a flock of about thirty 
sitling-in the hollow of a rock on the sea-shore, Allowing a near 
approach, three of their number were readily killed. 
Oystercatcher.—November 13. Shot one of these common birds. 
Rook.—November 14. Seeing a number of rooks flying in and out 
of a plantation of Scotch fir, I was induced to watch them closely : 
Ithen perceived that on emerging from the wood they held something 
in their beaks, but what it might be I could not even conjecture, so I 
endeavoured by a close inspection to find ont, but the thickness of the 
foliage prevented my doing so; however, I observed that as soon as 
they had secured the object of their search they alighted with it on an 
open space, and immediately commenced striking and tearing it with 
their bills: this operation over, and it was not prolonged above 
a minute or two, they forthwith returned to the wood for a fresh 
supply. As I had, after a diligent search, failed in finding out on 
what they were feeding, it occurred to me that possibly the fir-apples 
strewn over the ground might have been brought there by the rooks, 
so a few were picked up and examined ; they were in different stages 
of decay, and in some a white grub or maggot was found, on which 
they were doubtless feeding. 
Common Bunting.—November 29. A bird of this species was ob- 
served, the first I had noticed. 
Brownheaded Gull.— Novewber. This and other gulls are to 
be seen daily in vast numbers frequenting the newly-plonghed lands, 
hovering over the plough, regardless of the reiterated cries of the 
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