SCOTTISH HERONRIES AND A CENSUS OF HERONS 75 



Nether Lochar Woods, Ruthwell, 3 pairs since 1905. 

 *Nithbank, Morton, 7 or 8 nests in 1883; trees blown down 1884 



(abandoned). 



Shaw Wood, Glencairn, 2 or 3 nests for many years. 

 Woodcockair, Annan, 4 nests in 1907 ; usually one or two. 



All the information gathered points to the continued abandon- 

 ment of the habit of nesting in large colonies or to their break-up 

 in Scotland, very few places now having more than twelve nests 

 together. The number of single nests occurring may also be remarked 

 on. Mr. Dresser ("Birds of Europe," vol. iv.) says "now and then 

 a solitary nest is to be found," but in Scotland at the present day 

 such nests are not infrequent. 



A CENSUS OF HERONS. 



From the foregoing it will be seen that already the Heronries of 

 a considerable portion of Scotland are well and accurately determined, 

 and a sound basis laid for attempting a census of the species, if the 

 suggestions made in the last number of the "Annals" (pp. S-io), 

 are thought to be practicable and useful. The sedentary habits of 

 the bird and its large size are considerations in favour of the project. 

 In the Reports on Scottish Ornithology published in the " Annals " 

 (1893-1910), Herons are very seldom mentioned, only seven of the 

 years having any entries and these quite brief. The difficulty, how- 

 ever, of anything approaching a definite and simultaneous census 

 of the whole of Scotland, or indeed of any one of the faunal areas, 

 seems to be considerable. To test the matter, I would suggest that 

 the observers and recorders who make returns for the annual Reports 

 should have a supplementary schedule sent them with directions for 

 a census of Herons in their districts. The schedules could also be 

 sent to others likely to be able to make returns, including the 

 subscribers to the " Annals," with a request for their assistance. 

 Directions might be given fixing a day or days for taking the census, 

 which should be simultaneous or as nearly so as possible. Three 

 enumerations at different periods of the year (say the first Saturday 

 in the months of March, June, and October or November) might be 

 aimed at, and a mean of the returns worked out, thus reducing 

 errors. The supplementary schedule should also have columns for 

 statistics of present nesting places. 



The conduct of the census and subsequent report might, I 

 venture to suggest, be placed with confidence in the hands of the 

 writers of the last Report on Scottish Ornithology who are already 

 in touch with observers and recorders throughout the country. If 

 Miss Evelyn V. Baxter and Miss Leonora Jeffrey Rintoul will under- 

 take this, Scottish ornithologists will look forward to obtaining as 

 satisfactory a result as is possible. 



