NATURAL HISTORY t-OCIETY OF GLASGOW. 161 



open them. They are often, when so employed, surrounded by an 

 admiring flock of Starlings, Chaffinches, Yellow-Hammers, Spar- 

 rows, &c, which pick up the particles scattered by the Rooks." 



At Dunipace, in March, Rooks, which were sadly dejected by 

 the late falls of snow, and were desultory and often interrupted in 

 their building operations, had many consultations as to what was 

 best to be done. By the 17th of March, however, they seemed to 

 settle down to more steady work. I have reason to believe that 

 some had already laid eggs before the severe snow-storm of March, 

 which filled their nests with snow. One morning — that of the 

 snow-storm (16th March) — the Rooks rose in a body to set out for 

 Dunmore, where they usually go in severe winter weather. Two 

 or three pairs separated and returned and settled on their nests, 

 but ultimately were driven off by the continued gale and snow, and 

 were obliged to follow their companions. 



Rooks were put to various straits for food. I found a dead 

 hedgehog clean picked by Rooks, and the carcases of rabbits and 

 hares were fed upon by them, as I found their foot-prints on more 

 than one occasion round the skins and bones. Rooks were seen to 

 attack and kill a Curlew (or some large wader) as it sat on a rock on 

 the sea-shore at Corran Ferry, in Argyllshire, and afterwards de- 

 vour it [J. J. D., ex ore, as told to him]. And they are reported to 

 have sought out and fed upon the carcases of other fellow-sufferers 

 [R, Service, "Dumfries Courier;' 25th March, 1879]. Though 

 emaciated, I cannot, however, think that any appreciable number 

 succumbed. There is a considerable increase in our Rookery at 

 Dunipace this year, being 400 nests against about 350 last year. 

 Rooks in Ireland became quite carnivorous, feeding on dead and 

 dying small birds [Robert Warren, in lit], and observers in other 

 places record the same. 



STARLING. 



Sturstus vulgaris, Lin. 



Deserted the north of Scotland at an early date, but present 

 all winter in central counties of Scotland, living in company with 

 Rooks, and frequenting the railway stations, and feeding upon the 

 grease in the boxes and on the wheels. I saw several picking 

 up scraps of this kind at Larbert Station on the 21st February, 

 and similar accounts reached me from Glasgow and other localities 

 [vide Rook, ut supra]. They often disputed possession of the choice 



