BIRDS. 
abundant in the broken ground of the Stoir peninsula and 
interior parts of Edderachyllis. 
Local name " Jecliedyheet." According to Mr. Osborne the 
first purely insectivorous bird to arrive in Caithness, where 
it is a well-known and plentiful species, being distributed 
in the breeding season in pairs all over the county, prefer- 
ring barren stony moors and open wastes to the richer 
meadows and cultivated ground, and placing its nest in 
quarries, under large stones and in dry walls (0. MSS., 
1868). 
Not observed by us in 1885 to be so common on the 
northern parts of the county as on the east side. 
13. Saxicola albicollis, Vieill. Black-eared Chat. 
13a. Saxicola deserti, Bupp. Desert Chat. 
14. Pratlncola rubetra {L.). Whin Chat. 
A summer visitant ; very common in some localities in the 
east, and going quite into the centre of the county to breed. 
Local in distribution in the west ; plentiful between Lairg 
and Scourie (E. Eawson, in lit.), and seen by us commonly 
here and there between Ehiconich and Durness. Reported 
common at Tongue, on Loch Shin and at Lairg, and one 
seen at Syre (S. G. Eeid). 
Fairly common in Caithness, though much less known than 
the Wheatear, probably on account of its extremely shy 
disposition, and its preference for such situations as have a 
plentiful growth of low brushwood or furze bushes, which 
in this county are few and far between (0. MSS., 1868). 
Marked " common " in S. and O.'s List prior to 1862 ; not 
seen by Harvie- Brown in 1885. Eanges to Caithness, 
according to Gray {B. of W. of Scotland, p. 87). 
