60 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



Red Grouse (Lagopus scoticus). — There are a very fair num- 

 ber of Grouse in the east mainland, and owing to efficient pro- 

 tection they are on the increase. Bags of fifteen to twenty-five 

 brace are made over dogs in the early part of the season. Later 

 on they become wilder, and after rough weather such as prevailed 

 during the second week in October they pack, and are then prac- 

 tically unapproachable ; the old cocks, which generally remain 

 solitary, are very difficult to get near at any time, running in 

 front of the dogs for hundreds of yards. At this time of the 

 year, when the crops are being got in, the birds are mostly to 

 be found on the fringe of the moor, not more than a hundred 

 yards from the cultivated land, on to which they move at night 

 to feed. 



Moor-hen (Gallinula chloropus). — Only one was seen, viz. on 

 the Groemeshall loch on Oct. :3rd. 



Coot (Falica atra). — A flock of twenty to twenty-five Coots 

 live on the loch at Grcemeshall, nesting in the reeds, and appa- 

 rently staying there all the year round. One pair was seen on 

 the loch at St. Mary's Holm. 



Golden Plover (Charadrius pluvialis). — Several flocks of 

 from twenty to more than a hundred and fifty individuals were 

 always to be found at particular places. At high water they were 

 generally to be seen in the " parks" (meadows enclosed by stone 

 walls), for certain of which they had a special predilection. At 

 low water two or three special places on the ebb were sure finds 

 for them, where they were almost invisible when standing still, 

 so well did their golden plumage harmonise with the yellow sea- 

 weed and rocks. Several times I have crawled up to a particular 

 piece of ebb, and carefully examined every part of it with glasses, 

 without seeing anything, till presently a bird would stretch up a 

 wing, and then suddenly some fifty or sixty birds would become 

 visible. In calm weather they were remarkably tame, allowing 

 a near approach in the open, if one did not walk directly at them ; 

 but in a gale of wind they were much wilder and very uneasy, 

 continually flying up and settling again at some other spot for 

 apparently no reason at all. At night the flocks appeared to 

 split up, the birds going off in twos and threes to the "parks." 

 Bound the margin of the loch they associated with the Green 

 Plover, and to a smaller degree with the Gulls. 



