inhabiting the County of Sutherland. 299 



Plentiful in all the districts about Lairg and Loch Shin, the base of Ben Laighal, Ben 

 Hope, &c. 



50. Lagopus Scoticus, Red Grouse or Red Ptarmigan. 



In the midland district of the county, between Lairg and Tongue, the common red 

 grouse seems abundant. Upon the western coast it is not so numerous, the face of the 

 country being too rocky and sterile, and seldom affording any extended tract of heath. 



51. L, mutus, Common Ptarmigan. 



Plentiful upon all the mountains, their rocky summits being favourable to its habits. A 

 specimen was shot by Sir William Jardine, which Dr. Richardson, when shewn to him, 

 thought to be the L. rupestris of the Faun. Bor. Amer. It is smaller than the usual aver- 

 age size of the common ptarmigan, and the plumage is more varied with reddish brown 

 It was killed upon the Ben-More ridge above Inch-na-Damff, and we hope to obtain addi- 

 tional specimens from the same locality, so as to enable us to determine the species. 



52. Perdix cinerea, Common Partridge. 



A pair was seen at Inch-na-Damff, and about Lairg their call was repeatedly heard. 



53. Ardea cinerea, Common Heron. 

 Was seen upon the Oikel. 



54. Numenius arqualus, Common Curlew. 



Very abundant in all the central parts of the county, where heath and extensive marshy 

 tracts prevail. Upon the rocky western coast it is comparatively rare. 



55. N. phaopus, Whimbrel. 



Was seen upon the margin of Loch Shin, but no eggs or young were obtained. 



56. Totanus calidris, Redshank. 



Was found breeding on the marshy margin of Loch Douliah, near Lairg, and at the 

 head of Loch Naver. When disturbed from its nest, and as long as the young are unable 

 to fly, the old birds are very vociferous, and wheel around the intruder in circles, making 

 frequent stoops, as if to strike at the head, like the common lapwing. 



57. T. hypoleucos, Common Sandpiper. 



Very abundant upon the margins of all the numerous lochs and rivers. 



58. T. glottis, Greenshank. 



This species, whose nest had never before been found in Britain, we detected breeding 

 in various parts of the country, generally in some swampy marsh, or by the margin of 

 some of its numerous lochs. It is very wild and wary, except when it has tender young, 

 at which time, when first disturbed, it sometimes approaches pretty near, making a rapid 

 stoop like the redshank at the head of the intruder. If fired at and missed, which is fre- 

 quently the case even by a good marksman, as the stoop is made with remarkable rapidity, 

 it seldom (at least for that day) ventures again within range. A pair, which had their nest 

 in a marsh near Tongue, after having been once fired at, could not again be approached, 

 but we obtained one of the young, apparently about a fortnight old, by means of a water- 

 dog. Another pair were shot near Scourie, by the margin of a small loch, where, from 



