THE STARLING ROOST ON CRAMOND ISLAND 5 



as 4 P.M. Weather very dull. On the 2Oth great 

 numbers of Starlings assembled on the trees at Cramond 

 at 4.40 prior to crossing to the island. 23rd. At ten 

 minutes past seven an immense flock of Starlings came 

 over : west wind and rain, and the birds flying very low. 

 The Starlings have now resumed their old route, that is, 

 crossing directly over Longgreen. The morning flight 

 on the 27th is timed at 7.5 and in the evening at 4.45. 

 On this day, for the first time, they are noted to go 

 through some extraordinary evolutions prior to settling 

 down. On the morning of the 29th a great rush of 

 Starlings came over at 7.5, flying very low. I am of 

 opinion that during this month the colony attained its 

 numerical maximum. 



November. On the ist of this month the morning flight 

 was at 7.5 A.M., and in the evening at 4.30 P.M. On 

 the 2Oth they are noted as passing at 7.30 A.M. and 

 4.5 P.M. An immense flock extending right across 

 Longgreen Bay from Barnbougle to the Snib came 

 across on the morning of the I2th at 7.25. They 

 were followed a few minutes later by another flock. 

 The morning of the 2Oth was dull and hazy, and the 

 Starlings did not leave the island till 8.50. Watching 

 on the morning of the 22nd with my field-glasses, I 

 saw the Starlings rise in a cloud from their roost. In 

 2 minutes 25 seconds they were overhead, flying leisurely 

 against a south-west wind. On the 28th the Starlings 

 came over at 7.50 A.M. and returned at 3.45, flying low, 

 and in great numbers. During this month the most 

 interesting feature observed has been the extraordinary 

 manoeuvres performed before settling to roost. It 

 would be no easy task, were it desirable here to do so, 

 to describe the graceful evolutions of the birds on these 

 occasions, or to guess at what mysterious influence 

 controls their movements. 



December. On the ist of this month I went over to the 

 island to watch the Starlings arrive. At 3.25 the first 

 few dropped down, followed in about 5 minutes by 

 another small lot. At 3.45 four distinct flocks were 



