244 SCOLOPAClDiE. 



some means of judging, whilst spending the month of January, 1849, 

 at Ardimersy, on its south-east coast, with a kind relative who rents the 

 best sporting portion of the island, including the choicest covers for 

 cocks. Since the present intelligent head keeper (Peter Mackenzie) 

 came there nine years ago, these birds have been considered to be 

 becoming annually scarcer, excepting in the season of 1846-47, when 

 they were plentiful. On the best day that winter, it is stated, that 

 fifty-three birds were killed by four guns, and about as many more 

 seen ; twenty-seven fell to the keeper himself. On one day that season 

 fifty were killed by four guns about Islay House ; said to have been 

 the greatest number ever shot there. Mr. Campbell and the keeper 

 (taking, I believe, different sides of the cover) reckoned how many 

 "flushes" of cocks there were in the course of a day; when the one 

 counted 115, and the other 121 ; the same bird would, of course, 

 in some instances be sprung more than once. This was about the 

 greatest number ever flushed during one day in the Ardimersy covers, — 

 the best in Islay ; 1,000 birds are said to have been killed that season 

 at Ardimersy and Islay House together ; and the half of that numbeia 

 to have been obtained in other seasons. 



The winter of 1848-49, to the end of January, was considered the 

 worst season for woodcocks ever known on the island.* We shot 

 daily (five guns, and with the aid of ten beaters), from January the 1st 

 to the 6th inclusive ; and though for the last four of these days there 

 had been more severe frost than known there for many years, about 

 twenty-five brace was the most we saw in a day, the half of which was 

 the greatest number bagged within the same time.f In the covers at 

 Islay House, about the latter number (twelve and a half brace) were 

 killed during two days, at that period. All persons questioned on 

 the subject agreed that the westerly, north-westerly, or northerly 

 winds bring the cocks to the eastern or Ardimersy side of the 

 island. They also attribute the small number of birds seen here this 

 season to the prevalence of south-east winds, which almost constantly 

 prevailed throughout November, December, and January. The wes- 



* Sometimes there is as good cock -shooting in February as in any other month. 

 By beating the heathery glens the keeper has had good sport in March. One day in 

 that month Mr. Campbell, jun. and he, shot, the one eight and the other eight and 

 a half brace on the high mountain heaths. The former number was likewise bagged 

 by the keeper during two hours, in March 1848. 



f The largest and reddest birds proved on dissection to be females. 



