BIRDS. 
211 
rose previous to being shot, etc., asked if " there was any 
reason to suppose there was a male bird or a nest." Hence, 
probably, Dr. Sinclair's reference to nesting in his letter. 
Later, Mr. Wolley wrote again to Dr. Sinclair, saying, " I 
am extremely anxious to hear more about it, for I have 
reasons for thinking it may have bred in the county," and 
suggesting an advertisement in the local papers, asking a 
number of questions, none of which, however, were leading 
ones, as regards the egg in his possession. Some time in 
March, Mr. Wolley received a John d Groat's Journal with 
the advertisement, " Eare Bird killed in Halkirk Parish," 
dated "Wick, Feb. 29, 1856." No response appears ever to 
have been made to the above advertisement, and so the matter 
now remains. Harvie-Brown saw the egg in the broken 
state in which Wolley states he received it, and afterwards 
mended it, when he was " distinctly given to understand 
that it was taken in Caithness, but with no further particu- 
lars, for which, unfortunately, I did not press. I mended 
it some time ago." There cannot remain a single doubt but 
that it is a hona fide egg of the little bustard, but beyond 
this and the facts given above we cannot aftirm. 
274. Otis macqueeni, /. E. Gray. Macqueen's Bustard. 
Family (EDICNEMIDiE. 
275. CEdicnemus scolopax ((rm.). Stone Curlew. 
Family GLAREOLID^. 
276. Glareola pratincola, L. Pratincole. 
Family CHARADRIID^. 
277. Cursorius gallicus ((rm.). Cream-coloured Courser. 
278. Eudromias morinellus {L.). Dotterel. 
There is nothing to add to what has been said by St. John 
about the dotterel in his time. Ben Clibrick is the only 
