REPORT ON SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGY IN I918 11 1 



observed on various occasions on Bruntsfield Links, Edin- 

 burgh, between 19th January and nesting-time when it 

 disappeared for the season. It returned for the fifth winter 

 in succession, but was not observed by our correspondent 

 until 4th November, although earlier seen by others On 

 the 2 1st of that month another Rook similarly marked, 

 but with fewer white feathers, appeared on the Links and 

 frequented the neighbourhood during the winter. Most 

 probably the second Rook was the offspring of the former 

 bird. A hybrid Crow was seen at Cullen on 21st October; 

 this bird was all black, " including throat and belly, but 

 breast grey, and a grey band round the shoulders at base 

 of neck," while a pure white Jackdaw was seen at Pitlochry 

 on nth September. In winter 1917-18 a Blackbird at 

 Collessie had a white ring completely round its neck ; this 

 seems to have disappeared as spring advanced, as on 5th 

 March we are told it only had a few white feathers on 

 the neck. Two white Ringed Plover were seen at North 

 Ronaldshay this year ; they were seen last year too one 

 was mated to a normally coloured bird, and they had a 

 nest. The eggs were the usual type. A female Herring 

 Gull at Stirkoke, Wick, on 20th September is described as 

 follows : " White ; tail-coverts, tail, wing-coverts, especially 

 lesser coverts, tinged fawn. Outer p4rimaries fawn brown, 

 inner primaries and secondaries suffused fawn. Iris brown." 



Food, Habits, etc. 



On 25th March 1918, a Squirrel and a Magpie were seen 

 at Corsemalzie (Wigtownshire) fighting in a fir-tree, the 

 antics of the Squirrel being described as very amusing to 

 watch. A party of thirty-seven Magpies were flushed from 

 among fodder, etc., put out in a field for cattle at Alticig 

 (Wigtownshire), while a bird of the same species was so 

 intent on eating a blind-worm in a field at Corsemalzie in 

 June, that it allowed our correspondent to walk up to within 

 15 yards of it before it rose. On 20th September, Starlings 

 pursued by a Sparrow-hawk swooped close over the 

 observer's head, " landed practically among my feet and crept 

 into two stooks of oats" (i. 1919,30). Seven Pied Wagtails 



