34 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



ear, it is now quite rare. The House-martin deserted us 

 thirty or forty years ago, and they were then in swarms, 

 not only nesting under the eaves of many of the bigger 

 houses but also in thousands in the precipitous Tolly rock 

 on Loch Maree. The Rook, which used almost to darken 

 the sky with its multitudes, and the Jackdaws are gone, for 

 which we are, however, truly thankful. 



This year we had about the heaviest crop of rowan 

 berries I have ever seen, and they remained on the trees in 

 scarlet masses right through November and long after every 

 leaf had fallen. In former years huge flocks of Fieldfares 

 and Redwings came from Norway at the end of October 

 and very quickly finished them off; this year all I saw was 

 a tiny flock of Redwings, about a score all told, which, with 

 the few Blackbirds, Song-Thrushes, and Missel-Thrushes (also 

 in very reduced numbers) were quite unable to make any 

 impression on the berries, which were nearly all wasted. In 

 summer I did not see a single Ring-Ouzel, neither breeding 

 among our rocks nor later on descending with their broods 

 to feed on our cherries and geans. Can anyone explain 

 what has caused so many of our birds to disappear? 



Hawfinch in Peeblesshire. While shooting in the woods on 

 Castlecraig, Peeblesshire (Kirkurd Parish), on ist January 19 18, I 

 caught a male Hawfinch. It appeared to be hurt and was unable 

 to fly. I took the bird home, but it died in a few days. Perhaps 

 the occurrence of this species in the county of Peebles may be 

 worthy of record in the Scottish Naturalist. Henry D. Simpson. 



[This would appear to be the first record of the Hawfinch for 

 Peeblesshire. Eds.] 



A Late Swift. A Swift (Cypselus apus) was seen by my 

 brother, Mr Hugh Campbell, Clerk of Works, Dalmeny Park, on 

 the 24th October near Dalmeny House, and again on the 13th 

 November 191 7 at the same place. Bruce Campbell, 10 Green- 

 bank Place, Edinburgh. 



