1 52 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



SNOW BUNTING. A nest is recorded about the year 1859 by M., 

 who still has one of the eggs. Although a rara avis as a 

 breeding species, it is by no means a stranger during winter 

 time. This year I saw some hundreds of them on the sea 

 coast several times, and more than a dozen one day on my 

 garden lawn. 



SKYLARK. Widely distributed, but not so numerous as it was thirty 

 years ago, or less. During severe winters thousands may be 

 seen along the sea-coast, the poor birds being driven before 

 the sleety showers. 



STARLING. The most daring bird about town or hamlet. In 

 my egg-collecting days (1868-73) it was an unique prize to 

 secure an example of the Starling, and many an exciting hunt 

 I could record as illustrating the value of this bird's eggs. 

 Nowadays the Starling is located in every hole and corner, 

 and one cannot erect a dovecot without running the risk of its 

 first tenants being Starlings. It is the bird's adaptability to 

 situations that has given it such a firm grip in these shires. It 

 is a lovely bird, and I should be sorry to see it absent, with 

 its stirring song on the chimney-tops in the early summer 

 mornings. 



MAGPIE. Extremely local, and far from plentiful. The last example 

 of the species I came across was in the Glen of Dye in the late 

 fall of 1898. The keepers shot these birds in season and out 

 of season. 



JACKDAW. Abundant in the towns. Local in the country. Some 

 breed in a rookery near my place, and often one or two are 

 seen in the fields in company with the rooks. Now and again 

 a white specimen turns up. 



CARRION CROW. This is a resident, breeding in the deeper woods. 

 Towards autumn and throughout winter it is to be found at 

 the coast side near St. Cyrus, Johnshaven, Bervie, and indeed 

 along the whole margin of the county seawards. 

 HOODED CROW. Far more common than the last named, although 

 neither are to be classed as prevalent. 



RAVEN. Only known to tradition. Several items of interest might 



be' mentioned, all more or less of an interesting nature, but 

 at best these are simply echoes of romance. 



ROOK. Very abundant. Farmers of late have been seriously con- 

 sidering the thinning of rookeries, and gunners have been 

 active, but the Rook seems to thrive under it all. I have seen 

 cream, brown, and white examples. These birds do not, as a 

 rule, take kindly to fir trees, but about Fordoun they by no 

 means object to place their domiciles on the branches of these 

 trees. 



