64 TRANSACTIONS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
of broken reeds and young sprouting water grasses, forming, as the 
tide rises, a sort of floating island. From the centre of this, a bird 
much larger than the Common Snipe, and lighter in colour, yet a 
veritable snipe, suddenly rises at our feet, but quite silently. This is 
at once recognised to be the rare Solitary or Great Snipe, which is 
only an occasional autumnal visitant, and which, though common 
in some parts of Europe, is rarely seen in this country. 
Leaving the softer parts we now come to wLere it is harder and 
more open, and here we fall in with abundance of the Meadow-Pipit. 
This often leaves the moors at this season for the marsh, nimbly tra¬ 
versing the ground in pursuit of worms and insects peculiar to marshy 
spots. Every now and again it rises here and there with a tweet- 
tweet, and, seeming to hang in the air as it surveys us, retires a short 
distance, then settling on some sedgy tussock, resumes its occupation. 
From the persistent note of this bird on the approach of a stranger, it 
is known in many parts as the Moss-Cheeper. Here we also observe 
the Common Sky-Lark come down from the adjoining fields to see 
what food can be gathered in the marsh. Jumping over one of the 
numerous water-cuts, w^e disturb a water-hen, which, after sundry flap¬ 
pings along the water’s surface, at last gets on wing, and with dangling 
legs retreats in a hurry to the first thicket of reeds. We see Wood- 
Pigeons continually flying up the marsh and settling in various spots, 
not only seeking for food, but often coming to drink. The Newburgh 
gunner, taking advantage of their abundance at this season, and all the 
harvest time, sets up his stale-birds on a spot specially cleared for the 
purpose, and, lying concealed with his gun, often secures a sack load 
as the reward of a single tide. 
Again entering our boat, we proceed slowly down the estuary to 
the banks properly so called. It is nearly low water, and passing a 
spit we hear sundry croakings, and observe three or four Carrion-Crows 
regaling themselves on some savoury repast left by the tide, but long 
before the boat reaches them, they are off. These birds are not un¬ 
common about the tidal parts of the river all the year round, and are 
exceedingly useful as scavengers. A little later on in the autumn they 
are often seen assembled in large parties, which are, more than likely, 
fresh arrivals from the Continent. As we approach the banks already 
mentioned, we observe sundry Herons dotted about in the different 
gulleys intent on their fishing operations. Very interesting it is to 
watch them with a good binocular, and see the expert way in which a 
fish is captured, thrown into the air, and dexterously caught again, so 
as to be swallowed head downwards. As the tide rises, these birds 
betake themselves to the old stone dykes which jut out into the water, 
where, if not disturbed, they patiently await events. As we move 
farther down, the tide begins to make and birds get restless. The 
