NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 287 



ALAUDID^. 

 The Sky-Lark {Alauda arvensis). 



The fiimiliar laverock is abundantly distributed. Some winters 

 ago immense flocks of larks appeared during bard weather in 

 some fields close to the town of Girvan. On rising from the 

 ground, the cloud of birds appeared so dense as to obscure objects 

 in the line of their flight. Large numbers were killed on the 

 telegraph wires, and after the flocks passed it was found that 

 many birds had been mutilated, their wings being torn off" by 

 the v/ires. 



The Wood-Lark (Alauda arhorea). 



The late Rev. Dr Landsborough informed Mr Gray that he had 

 found this species at Stevenston. It has never come directly 

 under our own observation. Various records of its existence as a 

 familiar Scottish species have from time to time been published, 

 but many of these, it is to be feared, refer to some other bird. 

 The wood-lark, however, has certainly been found in many parts 

 of Scotland, satisfactory instances of which are given in Mr 

 Gray's "Birds of the West of Scotland,"* etc. 



EMBEEIZID^. 



The Snow Bunting {Pledrophams nivalis). 

 A winter visitant only, occurring at times in solitary specimens 

 along the coast. As a rule, it is much commoner on the shores 

 of the east of Scotland. In April and May the birds assume the 

 breeding plumage, which in the male contrasts strikingly with the 

 sober tints of the hill sides, where small flocks are seen flitting in 

 advance of any intruder on their haunts. 



The Common Bunting (Emheriza miliaria). 

 Very abundant in both counties, especially near the coast 

 between Girvan and the borders of Kirkcudbrightshire. Mr Gray 

 has observed it to be particularly common in the southern districts 

 of Wigtownshire, where the pasture lands are irregularly broken 

 with protruding masses of rock. 



The Black-headed Bunting (Emheriza sclimniculus). 

 Common, and generally distributed. It breeds in some num- 



* In the press, and will shortly be published. 



