i 5 2 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



North Uist, and Stockdoves are reported in increasing 

 numbers from Largo district, Bute, and Dee (i. 1917, 

 250). Fulmars are getting more numerous annually on 

 North Unst, while more Common Terns were seen in 

 E. Ross than in 1916. The colony of Herring-gulls 

 on the Isle of May is larger than of late years, and from 

 E. Renfrew, Darvel, Largo (Fife), and Durris come notes of 

 more Corncrakes, Largo reporting "a very large increase." 

 Turning now to the notes sent of decrease in numbers 

 of nesting species, we find that at Durris, Starlings, Thrushes, 

 and Blackbirds were under the average, hardly any 

 Wheatears were seen, and fewer Spotted Flycatchers than 

 usual. Blackcaps, which were noted in 19 10 and 191 1, 

 were not seen in 1917. Banff has a scarcity of Song- 

 thrushes, Bullfinches, Missel-thrushes, and Sparrow-hawks. 

 Cullen records fewer Blackbirds and Thrushes, and from 

 Dundee we hear that the following species were less 

 numerous than usual all the Tits, Tree-creeper, White- 

 throat, Thrush, and House-martin, and that Lesser Redpolls, 

 Pied Wagtails, Spotted Flycatchers, Tufted Duck ("only 

 four pairs against twenty at Redmyre "), Greenfinch, Linnet, 

 Yellow Bunting, and Grey Wagtail were all scarce. White- 

 throats were scarcer than usual at Darvel, where Garden- 

 warblers were said to be, entirely absent from some of their 

 favourite haunts. Grey Wagtails and Goldcrests were few 

 at Swordale (E. Ross), while fewer Sand-martins than usual 

 were seen in Clyde. Stonechats " seem to be getting even 

 scarcer than they were " in North Uist, where Short-eared 

 Owls are decreasing, and, sad to say, only one pair of Red- 

 necked Phalaropes nested, instead of the usual seven or eight 

 pairs. Arctic Terns, too, were not as numerous there as 

 usual. From Mull we hear that no Stonechats were seen, 

 although they were plentiful there in 1916, and it is suggested 

 that they were killed by the severity of the winter. Lapwings 

 were scarce at Beith, Bathgate, Glenorchard, Beattock, Cullen, 

 and Melfort, Argyllshire. Young Eider were few on the 

 Isle of May this year, and on Sule Skerry only about, half the 

 usual number of Terns and two-thirds the usual Puffins 

 nested, while Snipe and Redshanks were scarce at Bathgate. 



