216 
BIRDS. 
288. Himantopus candidus, Bonnat. Black-winged Stilt. 
289. Phalaropus hyperboreus (i.). Red-necked Phalarope. 
St. John's record is the only one we can find of this bird as a 
Sutherland species : a pair were seen by him at Altnahar- 
row, at the head of Loch ISTaver, on June 10, 1848 : but 
Dunbar has the note in his 1844 MSS, to Dr. Gordon, 
"seen near Bonar Bridge," while Mr. Booth, in his 
Eough I^"otes (Part x. article " Grouse "), speaks of it as 
" occurring at Loch Craggie, a mile north of Loch Shin," — 
a statement sufficiently vague, as we are not aware of any 
loch of that name a mile north of Loch Shin. 
290. Phalaropus fulicarius (i.) Grey Phalarope. 
Very rare winter visitant. The only specimen known to us, 
and now in the County Museum, was shot at a pool of 
water on the Kintradwell Links by Mr. Houston on 
December 3, 1869. Dunbar has a vague note in his 1844 
MSS. to Dr. Gordon : " Seen near the river Carron, Suther- 
landshire" {sic). 
■ Two examples of this species were obtained near Wick in 
October 1863, the first by Mr. John Tudor, and the second 
by Mr. W. Peach (Mr. Osborne, in MSS., 1868). 
291. Scolopax rusticola, i. Woodcock. 
Eesident, and common ; as a breeding species has much in- 
creased of late years ; rare in the central and north-east 
districts. Woodcocks seem to be least common about 
August and September ; after the young can fly well, 
possibly they go south, thus accounting for " early arrivals " 
there. The numbers of those shot on the east coast varies 
with the season, as, unless driven in by frost, or, still more, 
deep snow, woodcocks remain on the hills. 
