182 
BIRDS. 
191. Ardea purpurea, L. Purple Heron, 
[Has a place in the Caithness list of Dr. Sinclair ; and Dr. 
Wilson mentions having seen it afterwards in that gentle- 
man's collection. The 0. S. A. mentions it as having been 
obtained in the parish of Wick,] 
192. Ardea alba, L. Great White Heron. 
193. Ardea garzetta, L. Lesser Egret. 
194. Ardea bubulcus, Audouin. Buff-backed Heron. 
195. Ardea ralloides, Scop. Squacco Heron. 
196. Ardetta minuta (L.). Little Bittern. 
197. Nycticorax griseus (L.). Night Heron. 
198. Botaurus stellaris (L.). Bittern. 
Mr. Gray {Birds of the West of Scotland, p. 279) says : " In the 
east of Scotland the distribution of the bittern extends 
from Berwick to Caithness." 
Mr. L. Dunbar records one shot by Mr. J. M'Leod at 
Sandside on March 25, 1880, which was stuffed by Mr. 
Dunbar, and is now at Welbeck Abbey. jSToted as " rare ; 
showed fight with his crest up. The only specimen seen." 
This bird, no doubt, is the one included in the list sent by 
Mr. J. Whitaker as still in the collection. 
199. Botaurus lentiginosus (Mont.). American Bittern. 
One specimen of this rare European visitant was shot at 
Latheronwheel, and became the property of Major Stocks, 
late 1st Eoyal Dragoons, who was present when it was shot 
by Frederic Stocks Bentley Innes in 1863. The bird rose 
out of a bunch of rushes, having been pointed by a pointer 
dog, and flew very heavily, as if exhausted. We, saw this 
