EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND. 23 



In Autumn. — No great movements recorded. First seen at 

 N. Eonaldshay August 25 ; spoken of as " arrived." Very few 

 records in September, October, or November. Slight increase 

 in December at Pentland Skerries only. Of Oyster-Catchers or 

 Sea Pies rather more frequent returns, but bulking only in 

 September and October. In Spring. — Lapwings noted con- 

 siderably in March at many stations from N. Unst, Pentland 

 Skerries, Bell Rock, Isle of May, and Ficlra. 



In Autumn. — Slight movements only in September and 

 October. Einged Dotterel or Einged Plover — one in September at 

 Pentland Skerries, and one at same place all day on 3d December. 



ScoLOPACiDiE. — Woodcock, Snipe, Curlew, Jack Snipe. — Of 

 Woodcock no spring movement observed. No records of Wood- 

 cock at all until October. First seen at Pentland Skerries ; 

 two all day on 5th October; then one killed at light on 7th, and 

 a rush on 10th. Then also at N. Eonaldshay one bird seen on 

 6th ; and at Girdleness, Aberdeen, and at Isle of May, from 6th 

 on till 28th, varying numbers — eight shot on 18th, four or five 

 on 20th; "numbers" seen on 24th — wind N.E., veering to 

 S.E. ; haze at night. Some (two shot) on 28th. Latest record, 

 one Woodcock at Dunnet Head on 14th November, and two at 

 Pentland Skerries on 1st and 12th November. In Stirlingshire 

 thirty-five shot one day in Torwood, and twenty-eight in Touch 

 Woods. Unusually abundant this autumn. The Woodcocks 

 shot at Torwood on the 20th November came into the country 

 almost certainly at the time of the October rush, and remained 

 there and throughout Stirlingshire for several weeks, during 

 which time many were killed. On the West Coast a friend and 

 myself bagged 33^ couples in seven days' shooting. We had a 

 blizzard of snow and wind on Monday, January 17th. We left 

 on 21st ; and we heard afterwards that not a Cock was to be 

 seen on and after the 24th January 1887. 



Snipe. — A few scattered spring records. No mention again 

 till September, and then decidedly very few all over. Decidedly 

 scarce this autumn. In the West of Scotland (Ardnamurchan), 

 where Woodcock were so plentiful, Snipe were unusually scarce. 

 Only four seen one day, where usually seven or eight couple can 

 be shot in an hour or two. 



Eecords of Curlews few and far between ; and none of any 

 special interest, being mostly local movements. 



