AUTUMN AND WINTEft BIRD-LIFE OF THE FAIRLIE SHORE. 179 



Fairlie Roads after these birds, the hawk making repeated 

 stoops, and just as often missing its intended victim, until 

 the latter became tired out, and was then easily taken. 



Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, Linn. — Not uncommon. 



Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.). — A common bird here. 

 Many follow the flounders which come in with the rising 

 tide. As can readily be imagined, they find this fish some- 

 what difficult to swallow ; one Cormorant which I watched 

 took about ten minutes over the operation. 



Gannet, Sula bassana (Linn. ). — Common in Fairlie Roads until 

 the end of October, when it disappears ; and few, if any, are 

 seen until the end of February, when it reappears. 



Common Heron, Ardea cinerea, Linn. — Frequents the shore all 

 the year round. There is a small heronry of at least a 

 dozen occupied nests in Kelburne, behind Fairlie, from 

 whence the birds flight down to the shore at sunset with 

 great regularity. 



Grey Lag-Goose, Anser cinereus, Meyer. — Gaggles of Grey 

 Geese on the wing are not an uncommon sight in this 

 district ; but, as they rarely alight on the flats in the day- 

 time, I have, so far, been unable to determine to what 

 species they belong. On 13th November, 1908, Mr. Knox 

 White shot a young Grey Lag at flight-time at the Black 

 Rock, and saw another in its company (see Annals of 

 Scottish Natural History , January, 1907). 



Barnacle-Goose, Bernicla leucopsis (Bechstein). — In October, 

 1903, a small gaggle of this species remained for a few days, 

 and three were shot ; this is the only occurrence I know of. 



Brent Goose. Bernicla brenta (Pallas). — This is a well-known 

 species at Fairlie, and varies greatly in numbers in (afferent 

 Years; and the old wild-fowlers tell me that the Bernacle. as 

 they call it, came in much greater numbers in former days. 

 They usually appear at the end of December, but I observed 

 one on 2nd September, 1905 — a very early date. 



Bewick's Swan, Cygnus bewicki, Yarrell. — On 1st January, 1907, 

 T saw three wild Swans in Fence Bay, which I took to be of 

 this species, but I could not get near enough to them to 

 make sure of their identity. 



E 



