138 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



beginning of June on a small loch in Inverness-shire, swim- 

 ming restlessly about a nest of green reeds, but was un- 

 fortunately shot. Mr. Warrand (who records the occurrence) 

 writes: "I was cheered to learn the following year (1909) 

 that one or two pairs had appeared on the same loch, but 

 soon afterwards heard that the nests had been ruthlessly 

 robbed by a private egg-collector." This bird is occasionally 

 recorded in Scotland in spring and summer in full breeding 

 plumage, and has been suspected of nesting in Perthshire 

 and Benbecula (Outer Hebrides). 



NESTING. 



The nesting season of 1909 seems to have been a very 

 average one, in spite of spells of inclement weather. The 

 earliest nest reported is that of a Long -eared Owl with 

 two eggs at Kirkliston on 28th February. By 8th April 

 Lapwings were laying in various localities ; and the Little 

 Grebe at Kirkliston on 2/th April. On 4th May a pair of 

 Blackbirds and a pair of Thrushes were found to be using 

 the same nest near Paisley ; the hen-birds laid three eggs 

 each on alternate days, and fought for the privilege of 

 sitting. When the eggs hatched a great battle ensued, the 

 Blackbirds winning ; the nest was harried when it contained 

 five young. In May two Hawfinches' nests with eggs are 

 recorded in East Lothian ; these probably belonged to the 

 same pair of birds, for they were only about sixty yards 

 apart, but unfortunately in both cases disaster overtook the 

 eggs. This is the first time the nest and eggs of this bird 

 have been found in " Forth," though young Hawfinches 

 newly out of the nest have several times been taken near 

 Edinburgh. On 2ist May two Tawny Owlets were found 

 in East Ross in a nest in a rabbit-hole ; while in the same 

 locality, on the 28th, a Shelduck's nest with thirteen eggs 

 was discovered ; these may have been laid by two ducks, as 

 they were in different stages of incubation. 



A Cuckoo's egg in a Willow-warbler's nest is recorded 

 from East Ross ; and at Beith one was found in a Hedge 

 Accentor's nest, "darker than most Meadow -pipits and 

 smaller than usual " ; at the same place a Cuckoo's egg 



