140 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



in 1895, as the first was not shot, and the second was killed only 

 two or three days afterwards within a mile or two of the same 

 place. They are said to have been much more common before 

 the Ground Game Act, as they frequented the cultivated ground, 

 where they could be easily killed by the crofters. 



Blue Hare (p. 39). — Much more abundant in 1895 than in 

 any previous year ; forty-four were killed, exactly double the 

 average of the five previous years. The increase was noticed in 

 the early spring, and was attributed to their having been driven 

 down by the severe winter from the higher hills in the south of 

 the island. 



Rabbit (p. 39). — Found all over the moor, and abundant in 

 suitable places on the coast. Many are of various colours, 

 particularly black and white, owing, it is said, to a previous 

 tenant of the sheep-farm having turned down some tame ones. 



Chough (p. 69). — A specimen of this bird was shot in Storno- 

 way Harbour on September 13th, 1895, by Mr. D. Mackenzie, 

 who is frequently quoted by Messrs. Harvie-Brown and Buckley; 

 in the previous autumn he saw a bird which he believes to have 

 been a Chough. 



Hooded Crow (p. 70). — The keeper's experience agrees with 

 Messrs. Harvie-Brown and Buckley's suggestion that the Hooded 

 Crow finds enough food on the sea-shore without interfering to 

 any great extent with the nests of other birds ; it does not often 

 go far from the coast. 



Rook (p. 71). — Mr. Mackenzie tells me that an extraordinary 

 flight of Rooks, probably 5000 or 6000, visited Lewis about 

 October, 1893, as noted by him in ' The Field ' at the time. 

 About 300 remained during the next summer, but did not breed; 

 in 1895 they nested for the first time (no doubt in the Castle 

 grounds at Stornoway), and are now building again. 



Raven (p. 71). — Nests regularly in the cliffs on the north-east 

 coast. The keepers of Galson and Gress make a combined raid 

 upon their nests every spring. Undoubtedly visits us in large 

 numbers from the mainland. Very destructive in nesting season 

 of 1893. On arriving at Galson early in September, 1894, I 

 found that the keeper had a row of about twenty, recently killed, 

 laid out for my inspection. 



Snowy Owl (p. 77). — One was shot by our party on August 

 25th, 1890. In 1893 several appeared during the nesting season, 



