314 



BIRDS. 



in that nesting season. Mr. James Davidson, of Roughhill, informed 

 me of this, as seen to he the case in many localities south of the 

 Grampians. He says: "Evidence distinctly points to a southward 

 movement of Woodcocks along the glens of the south slopes of the 

 Grampians in many places, during the nesting season of 1904 " 

 (List of birds of the district around Meigle; and in letters — Mr. 

 Davidson being tenant of shootings there). See also under Dotterel, 

 ante ; and I have myself laid great emphasis upon the same move- 

 ment, in 1902 and in 1903 and 1904, of both Woodcock and Snipe 

 {Fauna of North-West Highlands and Skye, and elsewhere, q.v.). 



As regards the abundance in the Tay valley at the date of 1900, 

 I cannot do better than give the descriptive passage from Mr. 

 Macpherson's notes referred to above, as follows: "On 16th May 

 1900, Grant Fergusson told me that a pair or two nest at Bale- 

 druand, where he found a young ' cock ' last year. The same even- 

 ing I went up to Macdonald's house (Pitlochry). Hardly had we 

 entered the woods when we heard the whistle of the cock. It was 

 a fine night, about 8.30 p.m., and we continued to hear them for the 

 next hour ; nor were they ever quite out of sight ; we t^vice saw two 

 birds flying together : they generally flew high, but sometimes only 

 tipped the tops of the trees. It was generally the peculiar whistle 

 that made us look up, but some birds used a frog-like croak — whether 

 a sign of alarm does not appear. 



"I sat up at Macdonald's cottage until 9,30 p.m , and cocks were 

 in view the whole time, chiefly flying high and as single birds. As 

 we returned, the quick whistle reached us again and again, and even 

 after we crossed the bridge we heard the quick call-note, and saw 

 the birds which really accompanied us as far home as the Miss 

 Cowans. It was a fine clear evening, and I found it delightful to 

 sit on a knoll, commanding the Tummel valley, and watch the birds 

 wheeling round in a wide circle. The birch-trees were clothed in 

 fresh verdure, and the charm of the scenery added to the charm 

 of Scolopao: in his home — the ' hottest corner for cock ' that I ever 

 saw, judging from the show of birds ; and a considerable number 

 of Woodcocks would seem to nest in the neighbourhood." 



The Rev. H. A. Macpherson then goes on to describe in equally 

 felicitous language the experiences he had met with in the barer 

 tracts of Skye, and the difi'erent conditions which one may expect 

 to meet with there. He continues: "If you go out at daybreak, 

 a tired cock gets up almost under your foot in the roadway. When 

 you passed by a few hours earlier, it had not arrived. You go on. 



