i 3 2 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Mallard very common, and a few Teal, Wigeon unknown in 

 the breeding season but in thousands in winter, Grouse 

 plentiful, Black Game absent, Snipe and Woodcock very 

 plentiful in winter but apparently none breed. A Snowy Owl 

 was shot two winters ago that was in 1881. Pied Wagtails, 

 Wheatears, Buntings, Stonechats, Tree-pipits, Thrushes, 

 Ring-ouzels, Titlarks, and Skylarks were numerous ; Green- 

 shanks and Godwits were not observed, but Oystercatchers, 

 Ring Dotterel, and Curlew were seen on Lochmaddy, 

 and Eiders, Great Northern Divers, Black Guillemots, 

 Cormorants, and Terns on Loch Eport. Heard a Cuckoo in 

 Uist on 20th May and saw one pair of Ravens ; these nest 

 either on Ben Lee or Ben Aval. Common Sandpiper were 

 frequent on the loch side, two Dunlin only were seen, single 

 birds, very wild and evidently not breeding, Golden Plover and 

 Lapwings both breed but are scarce, while no Redshanks 

 were observed. 



The Stock-dove in Lower Deeside. The Stock-dove 

 (C. cenas) continues to extend its range on the higher grounds 

 overlooking the lower Dee Valley. One or two pairs nested last 

 year on the cliffs by the side of the Crynoch Burn in the parish of 

 Maryculter, and they have been noted this year again. In the 

 rabbit burrows overlooking Garrol Den, where they were first noted 

 in 1909, they continue to breed in slowly increasing numbers. 

 Alex. Macdonald, Durris. 



