REPORT ON SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGY IN 1916 157 



empty shells of Tellina tenuis and half grown Donax vittatus." 

 On the 26th June an Eider and four young and about twenty 

 Long-tailed Tits are recorded from Raasay (1. 1916, 269). 

 Quails were heard calling in the fields at Lauder on the 27th, 

 they are believed to have nested there, and on the 29th a 

 Common Scoter and eight young were seen off the shore 

 near Wick. On 2nd July six pairs of Fulmars were found 

 nesting at a place on the cliffs between Berridale and Wick, 

 and throughout the month come notes of fledged young 

 of nearly all our breeding birds. There are rather late 

 records of the hatching of Common Sandpipers and Wigeon, 

 a nest of the former with newly-hatched young being seen at 

 Darvel on the 6th July, while a Wigeon's nest in Ross-shire 

 hatched next day. In August, too, we have notes of young 

 from all districts : a late nest of the Stock-dove containing 

 two eggs was found near Tarbatness on 16th August, and 

 a Nightjar at Corsemalzie had two young, just flying, 

 on the 28th. There are a few records of belated nesting 

 in September : a Barn Owl about a month old was caught 

 in an old pigeon loft at Mochrum Manse on the 7th, on the 

 1 2th a Greenfinch and four young were seen at Darvel, 

 on the 14th a House-martin was feeding young at Elgin, on 

 the 17th seven young Partridges about a week old were 

 found at Corsemalzie, and lastly a Swallow had five young 

 at Darvel on the 24th. 



Winter. 



During the winter of 191 5-16 Skylarks and Corn- 

 buntings were unusually numerous at the Butt of Lewis, 

 large flocks of Goldfinches are recorded from Wigtownshire in 

 January, and Hawfinches up to eight in number were seen in 

 Lauder manse gardens in February. Numbers of Redwings 

 and Fieldfares wintered in East Fife, Blackbirds are recorded 

 in winter from Lerwick and Deerness (Orkney), and Red- 

 breasts from the latter place and Barra Head, these 

 Redbreasts being probably winter visitors from the Con- 

 tinent. Two pairs of Stonechats spent the winter at Durris 

 (Aberdeenshire), while Wood-pigeons and Stock-doves were 



