APPENDIX B. 
311 
and small trees at the plate-layer's house near Achintoul, not 
very far from the Sutherland and Caithness March, and used to 
come and feed daily with the fowls there ; this is one of the 
bleakest spots in that very open and bare district. 
Mr. Henderson of Stemster informs us that at one time he intro- 
duced a few pheasants near his house, but that they gradually 
disappeared. 
Coturnix communis (Bonnat). Quail. 
Two quails were obtained at Helmsdale in November 1879. Mr. 
Macleay, Inverness, further informs us that the late Mr. R. 
Reed of Balnakeil took the eggs of this bird near Tongue. 
Lagopus mutus, Leach. Ptarmigan. 
During the severe weather of December 1886, some ptarmigan 
were seen on the low hills opposite Glenrossal in the Cassley 
Strath ; this is a veiy great distance from their nearest breeding 
ground, the Ben Mhor range. 
Rallus aquaticus, L. Water-Rail. ' 
A water-rail was seen at Glenrossal on the 13th of November 
1886, a most unlikely spot for this bird. 
Porzana maruetta (Leach). Spotted Crake. 
A specimen of this bird was shot at Rosehall in September 1879, 
by Mr. Musgrave, as Mr. Macleay, Inverness, informs us. 
Himantopus candid us, ^oraa/. Blackwinged Stilt. 
Obs. — Mr. Macleay, Inverness, has an entry in his ledger of a bird 
of this species shot at Brora in July 1855, which had been sent 
to Mr. Snowie to be stuffed. It belonged to a Mr. Essington 
who fished the Brora for many years. At his death his 
collection of birds was sold, and we have been unable to trace 
this specimen. Being such a rare bird, especially in the north, 
we have entered it as an " Obs.," in case the species was 
wrongly identified. 
