THE JAY, STARLING, AND KINGFISHER IN AYRSHIRE. 299 



by that of the squirrel, but numerically much greater. 

 In proof of this I notice that in the article " Steven- 

 ston" in the New Statistical Account of Scotland (pub- 

 lished in 1837), my father, in a list of twenty-one of 

 the "rarer birds found in the parish," mentions the 

 Starling, along with the Quail, Turtle Dove, Roller, 

 &c. So also in the article "Ayr," in the same 

 volume, we read: "The Starling is a rare bird, but 

 not altogether unknown here." My memories of 

 Stevenston parish carry me back a few years 

 farther, and I remember that I then knew of only 

 one place where the Starling was to be seen. This 

 was at the striking old ivy-clad castle of Kerelaw, 

 interesting to Glasgow people as associated with 

 the distinguished divine, Dr. Love, of Anderston 

 Church, who, in the year 1775 lived in the castle as 

 tutor to the Hamilton family. It continued to be 

 occupied by this family till about the year 1787, 

 when a new mansion was built and the old casfcle 

 planted with ivy. The ivy became most luxuriant; 

 and here it was that as a boy I was wont to listen 

 to the pleasing and not unmusical chattering, and 

 clear whistling of the Starling. Soon afterwards the 

 bird had greatly increased and become so tame 

 that it was only necessary to erect a suitable box 

 for its selection as nesting quarters. These boxes, 

 placed on the tops of chimneys, trees, or tall poles, 

 were a source of much pleasure to almost all the 

 boys in the neighbourhood. 



But the question presents itself — at what date did 

 the Starling first appear in Ayrshire as a permanent 

 resident ? Fortunately to this we can give a definite 

 answer. Mr. M'Queen tells me that he was the first 

 person in Mauchline to have a young Starling in his 

 possession, having taken it from a nest at Barski ai- 

 ming, which act of his, he says, had almost caused 

 a riot. This was in the year 1834. 



The late Mr. Oliver Eaton, bird-stuffer, Kilmarnock, 

 gave as definite a reply, which I present in his own 

 words: "Fond as I am of birds, I had never seen a 



