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APPENDIX. 
round the garden this morning, when, hearing a loud rustling of 
wings among some tall bushes and dead weeds, I at once went in 
and commenced a search. I had scarcely done so, and was stooping 
down to look under some trees a little way off, when a sudden loud 
whirring sound quite made me jump, and the very instant I looked 
up a rather large bird disappeared over the top of a hedge of elders. 
The glimpse I obtained was so momentary that I had not the least 
idea of the form even of the bird’s wings. All I know is, that 
something of a pale huffy colour caught my eye for the fraction of a 
second, and was gone. I have searched every inch of the garden, 
and all the neighbouring fields, but no more have I seen of it. 
The only bird of the colour, or anything like it, is a Landrail, but 
the Landrail is much darker, and does not make such a noise with 
its wings ; besides, it is not likely that one would be here at this 
time of the year, and even if it were, it would neither have been 
made to take wing so easily, nor would it have been able to dis- 
appear over the hedge at such an astonishing rate. ... I can do 
nothing but draw a little upon my imagination, and the result of 
this is, that Pallas’ Sand Grouse, and the possibility of its having 
wandered to this out-of-the-Avay spot, does not now meet with such 
a' small degree of attention as it would have received — say, this time 
yesterday. Many of these birds have lately been killed in England, 
and even in Scotland ; and a bird of such power of wing would 
make nothing of extending its flight to Shetland, should it feel so 
inclined. This may appear rather like jumping at a conclusion, but 
I trust that time will settle the question, even if it should prove 
me to have been a little too hasty. Perhaps it may be a pale- 
coloured variety of some well-known bird ; but of this I feel con- 
vinced, that no British bird except Pallas’ Sand Grouse, or some 
chance variety, bears the peculiar colour that I caught a glimpse of 
this morning. 
Thursday, Oct. 29. — -Pain from S.E. ; frost last night. 
1008. When I went down to the willow hedge near the loch 
this morning, I heard the loud noise of wings again, and by the 
time I could look over the bushes the bird was more than a hundred 
yards away, and in the act of alighting beneath some elders. It 
only remained there for a few seconds, and then dashed off rapidly 
towards the garden. As it rose the first time it uttered four short 
