2io ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



CHOUGH, Pyrrhocorax gracuhis (L.) "In the winter of 1834 a 

 Corvus graculus or Red-legged Crow appeared in the vicinity 

 of the village " of Crawfordjohn " and was shot " (" S. A.") 



MAGPIE, Pica nistica (Scopoli). Is occasionally seen in pairs in 

 spring, making ineffectual attempts to establish itself in the 

 parish. It has nested though unsuccessfully in fir wood 

 on hill west of Manse ; and there is a nest built a few 

 seasons ago still holding together on a low " saugh " tree in 

 Harleyholm Meadow. 



JACKDAW, Corvus monedula, L. Abundant ; specially so during 

 winter. Among its nesting-haunts may be numbered some 

 rabbit burrows on the very easy southern slope of Carmichael 

 Hill. 



RAVEN, Corvus corax, L. Very rarely seen. In " S. A.," under 

 Biggar, it is said that the Raven is occasionally seen passing 

 to its " haunts on Tinto." Alas ! these no longer claim it, 

 though seventeen or eighteen years ago there was on Tinto a 

 nest from which three young birds got away (Mr. R. Gray). 

 Two were killed on Tinto ten years ago (Mr. T. Cranston); 

 and Mr. Edward Stodart, head gamekeeper, Eastend, has kindly 

 informed me that he has killed it on the Scaut Hill, Symington. 

 Last season, Mr. A. Telfer observed it on the hills above 

 Douglas, and one of a pair frequenting Carstairs Woods was 

 trapped by Mr. R. Gray. 



CARRION CROW, Corvus corone^ L., local name "Corbie," "Hoodie." 

 Resident, and nests ; three nests at least in parish last season. 

 Numbers greatly increased during late autumn and winter, 

 so that a flock of a dozen may at times be counted. 



HOODED CROW, Corvus comix, L., local name " Gray Hoodie. "- 

 Rare. Specimen killed by Mr. T. Cranston preserved in 

 Carmichael House. Another was killed this year on Tinto 

 (Mr. T. Cranston). It has also been killed on Scaut Hill, 

 Symington (Mr. Ed. Stodart). 



ROOK, Corvus frugilegus, L. Resident and abundant, in spite of 

 young being kept down owing to its egg-destroying propensities. 

 Evidence that in this district it in instances retains feathers at 

 the base of bill. Mr. T. Cranston informs me that for some 

 years a part of rookery at Carmichael of about forty nests has 

 been entirely taken up by individuals with feathered bills. 

 This season there are few, as the birds were shot hard down 

 last year, as he considered them more destructive on eggs, etc., 

 than the " bare-billed " Rooks. 



SKYLARK, Alauda arvensis, L. Fairly abundant and widely dispersed 

 from spring till autumn all over the district on heath and 



