392 
APPENDIX. 
of the voe. There can be no reasonable doubt that it is a Sand 
Grouse. It is a pale huffy colour, and even at a great distance a 
black patch was very conspicuous. As it flies it frequently utters 
a succession of short notes sounding something like the words 
“ tiou, tiou, fiou.” The bird while flying has a good deal the 
appearance of a Golden Plover, but its flight is even more rapid. 
Once, when it chanced to get among some Starlings, they imme- 
diately dashed at it, and followed it as far as they were able, no 
doubt mistaking it for a Hawk. 
1048. There are three Mergansers about the voe. 
1049. Snipe are very abundant now. I even meet with them 
feeding among the bushes close to the house. 
1050. Ts’ow and then I hear a Starling imitating the note of a 
Brambling. 
Tuesday^ Nov. 3. — Showery; light breeze from H.E. 
1051. T. and I were up soon after daylight this morning, look- 
ing for the Sand Grouse, but nothing was to be seen of it until 
about eleven o’clock, when, as I was coming home, rather dispirited, 
across the fields, I heard the notes of the bird, and saw it fly as if 
from the hills, and then alight in the old spot. I crept up behind 
the dykes, and peeped through the crevices, but as it w^as some 
distance out of range, I contented myself ’with watching it for three- 
quarters of an hour, hoping that it woidd come a little nearer. It 
kept as usual among the stubble, close to the edge of the turnips, 
but so closely did it resemble the colour of the former, that it was 
not until the bird began to move that I observed it. It moved 
about rather slowly, keeping the head and the fore part of the body 
rather low, and continually picking at something upon the ground. 
It seemed to take very short steps, and in fact it crept, not walked. 
As it was only getting farther from me, I endeavoured to approach 
it by crouching among the turnips, but it "svas of no use ; the bird 
saw me, and was off in an instant. This day passed in the same 
manner as yesterday, in patient Avatching for the bird and continual 
unsuccessful endeavoui’s to approach it in the open field; and now^ 
I must wait, as well as I can, until daylight shall enable me to 
renew my efforts, for succeed I will, if success only depends upon 
perseverance. 
1052. There must be more of these birds about, for James Gray 
