NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 227 



accuracy — are always subjects of interest to naturalists, I offer no 

 apology for reading to the Society the following brief notes, which 

 it is hoped will serve in some measure as a comparison of the 

 fauna of the present time with that of eight years ago. 



Before giving a list of the species upon which I have made fresh 

 observations, it may not be out of place generally to indicate some 

 of the changes brought about by the influences of the seasons, 

 land improvements, or other causes. 



Thus, as I have indicated in my original paper, certain species 

 have extended their breeding range, notably amongst which may 

 be mentioned the following : — The Missel Thrush, Song Thrush, 

 Starling, Chaffinch. These, and many other species, are now 

 found, where formerly they were scarce or altogether absent. 

 Other species again have in like manner attempted to occupy fresh 

 stations, the Rook being the most striking example; offshoots 

 from the Cama Loch rookery in the west, having endeavoured to 

 establish a new colony at Loch Beannoch, in Stoir, as I ventured 

 to predict they would in my former communication. Thanks, 

 however, to the blackness of their character as well as habit, they 

 were easily detected in the first instance, and shot down by the 

 keepers, so that this, their first attempt to extend their habitations 

 to the northward along the west of Sutherland, was promptly 

 checked. This was in the spring of the present year (1877). 

 When on a visit to Loch Beannoch in June, I observed a very 

 great difference in the numbers of the Herons upon the birch-clad 

 islands of the loch, only a few pairs being visible, where, in 1869 

 and years previous, I used to find from 20 to 30 pairs breeding 

 at the same tim.e of year. Whether the short visits made by the 

 " black invaders " in spring can have had any influence I cannot 

 say, but the fact of their apparent decrease is at least worth 

 noting in this connection. 



Some of the summer migrants are decidedly scarcer, such as 

 the Common Swallow and House Martin. This change can, I 

 think, only have been brought about by the inclemency of 

 the springs and lateness of the summers of recent years j at least it 

 seems difficult to account for it otherwise. The same reason will 

 undoubtedly, in part, account for the great falling off" in the 

 numbers of the grouse, the late frosts and backward, wet springs 

 and summers killing many young birds, and inducing tape-worm 

 and disease, where in former years such were scarcely known. 



