244 
SC0L0PAC1DJ3. 
some means of judging, whilst spending the month of January, 1849, 
at Ardimersy, on its south-east coast, with a kind relative who rents the 
best sporting portion of the island, including the choicest covers for 
cocks. Since the present intelligent head keeper (Peter Mackenzie) 
came there nine years ago, these birds have been considered to be 
becoming annually scarcer, excepting in the season of 1846-47, when 
they were plentiful. On the best day that winter, it is stated, that 
fifty-three birds were killed by four guns, and about as many more 
seen ; twenty-seven fell to the keeper himself. On one day that season 
fifty were killed by four guns about Islay House ; said to have been 
the greatest number ever shot there. Mr. Campbell and the keeper 
(taking, I believe, different sides of the cover) reckoned how many 
‘‘flushes” of cocks there were in the course of a day; when the one 
counted 115, and the other 121 ; the same bird would, of course, 
in some instances be sprung more than once. This was about the 
greatest number ever flushed during one day in the Ardimersy covers, — 
the best in Islay ; 1,000 birds are said to have been killed that season 
at Ardimersy and Islay House together ; and the half of that number 
to have been obtained in other seasons. 
The winter of 1848-49, to the end of January, was considered the 
worst season for woodcocks ever known on the island,* We shot 
daily (five guns, and with the aid of ten beaters), from January the 1st 
to the 6th inclusive ; and though for the last four of these days there 
had been more severe frost than known there for many years, about 
twenty-live brace was the most we saw in a day, the half of which was 
the greatest number bagged within the same time.f In the covers at 
Islay House, about the latter number (twelve and a half brace) were 
killed during two days, at that period. All persons questioned on 
the subject agreed that the westerly, north-westerly, or northerly 
winds bring the cocks to the eastern or Ardimersy side of the 
island. They also attribute the small number of birds seen here this 
season to the prevalence of south-east winds, which almost constantly 
prevailed throughout November, December, and January. The wes- 
* Sometimes there is as good cock-shooting in February as in any other month. 
By beating the heathery glens the keeper has had good sport in March. One day in 
that month Mr. Campbell, juu, and he, shot, the one eight and the other eight and 
a half brace on the high mountain heaths. The former number was likewise bagged 
by the keeper during two hours, in March 1848. 
t The largest apd reddest birds proved on dissection to be females. 
