Notes on Sand Grouse. By George Bolam. 551 



Whether, even under the most favourable circumstances, Sand 

 Grouse would ever settle down and remain with us, or even 

 become annual migrants to Western Europe, seems at best to be 

 very doubtful. It has been argued that the Pheasant and other 

 birds have, after artificial introduction, become perfectly 

 acclimatized in our Islands, but that proves nothing, when we 

 are dealing with a bird whose power and inclination for flight 

 surpasses the Sandpipers' and almost equals the Swallows'. There 

 may be localities amongst our dry sandy links which seem to 

 offer suitable nesting places to the Sand Grouse, and we know 

 that they can subsist and even thrive with us ; but are the 

 attractions for them to remain greater than those offered to the 

 countless flocks of Sandpipers which visit our shores every winter, 

 but not one of which ever stays to breed ? 



In 1863, the Sand Grouse bred in Holland and Denmark 

 where eggs were taken, and in 1888, they seem undoubtedly to 

 have done so in at least one locality in Scotland ; while last year 

 they returned to the same place, and a downy chick which had 

 been found there during August, was exhibited by Professor 

 Newton, at the meeting of the British Association at Newcastle, 

 on 12th September, 1889. For particulars of this," we must be 

 content to await the publication of the Professor's "promised 

 contribution to the Ibis ; but some interesting information 

 respecting the reported finding of the eggs and young upon the 

 Cullin Sands near Forres, in 1888, are given in Mr Macpherson's 

 little book already alluded to. 



In concluding this paper, which has run to much greater length 

 than was at first intended, I hope I may be pardoned for 

 remarking that, wishing to give the birds every possible chance 

 of remaining with us, I did not shoot a single Sand Grouse, 

 although many opportunities presented themselves. My collection 

 is therefore without an example of the irruption of 1888, and if 

 any friend, who may chance to read this, has a specimen to spare, 

 which he would care to dispose of to me, I need not say that it 

 will be gladly received and duly appreciated. 



