THE BIRDS OF THE ST. MARY'S LOCH DISTRICT 199 



RAVEN (Coruus corax). More than one pair at no great distance 

 from Rodono. I knew of one pair at least that hatched out 

 safely this season. 



GRAY CROW (Corvus comix}. Have not seen this bird myself, and 

 Sim tells me they are seldom seen at this time of year. He 

 has known them to breed in the neighbourhood, but as often 

 as not one of the pair is a Carrion. 



CARRION CROW (Corvus corone). Several pairs. Odd pairs stay 

 during the winter. 



ROOK ( Corvus frugilegits). Common. There is a small rookery on 

 Henderland Farm, which has been established about four years. 

 The two previous years there were only a few pairs, and before 

 that, none at all. There are several other rookeries in the 

 neighbourhood. 



SKYLARK (Alatida arvensis). Scarce. Saw a pair on yth May near 

 the post-office, and Sim, who was with me, said they were the 

 first he had seen this season. According to him there is 

 usually a pair on Henderland, but he seldom sees any others. 

 On 22nd May I saw a pair near Tibbie Shiels, but these and 

 the ones before mentioned are the only ones I have come 

 across. 



SWIFT (Cypsehes apus). My brother saw the first on 2nd June. 

 Several pairs, as a rule, may be seen flying round the Capper 

 Church. 



CUCKOO (Cuculus canorus). Fairly numerous. Heard the first on 

 2ist April. By 8th May there were several pairs near the 

 hotel at Rodono. 



LONG-EARED OWL (Asio oties). Nearly every small plantation has 

 its pair. 



SPARROW HAWK (Acripiter nisus). Scarce. There was one pair in 

 a small plantation opposite Cramilt. It does not stay the 

 winter. 



PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus). I knew of two nests in the 

 neighbourhood, and saw one pair on several occasions. 



MERLIN (Falco asalon). I saw a male near Meggat-head on i5th 

 May. At one time a pair frequented a hill behind Cramilt, 

 but during the last two seasons Sim says he has not seen them. 



KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus). Fairly common. Stays the winter. 



GANNET (Sula bassana). On icth May I saw a stuffed specimen, 

 an adult, in the shepherd's cottage at Birkhill, which was got 

 in January 1898 in the neighbourhood of Loch Skene. Sim 

 tells me that he shot an immature bird in December 1882 

 during very hard weather, near Meggat-head. 



