170 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Snow-bunting (Plectrophenax fiivalis). Considerable flocks 

 of Snow-buntings arrive from the north about the first half of 

 November, and small parties of them appear occasionally through 

 the winter. But their regular migration season is November for 

 going south, and the beginning of April for going north. I once 

 noticed two females at Kenna Vara Point in the month of July. 



Starling {Sturnus vulgaris). Resident and superabundant. 

 They breed all over the island, in holes, in old walls both of turf 

 and stone, and often beside the public road. They fill the chimneys 

 with their nests, and are a great nuisance in that way. However, 

 the natives are now putting wire-netting on the chimneys not 

 regularly used, to keep these pests out. Although plentiful in 

 summer, they are very much more so in winter. They roost in 

 myriads in the caves at Kenna Vara Head, and among gullies in 

 the rocks at Vaul and Baugh, and several other places. They get 

 any amount of feeding among the seaweed which the crofters spread 

 on their fields for manure. I have been told by old people that 

 the Starlings have increased enormously within the last forty years. 

 I know that they have more than doubled in numbers since I came 

 to the island, twenty-six years ago. 



Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus). The Chough has occurred 

 at Kenna Vara Head, but is rare. 



Jackdaw (Corvus monedula). I have seen one, and sometimes 

 two together, of these birds passing generally about the month of 

 November, but they don't make any stay here. 



Raven {Corvus corax). One pair of Ravens breed every year 

 on the precipitous cliffs. They usually rear four young birds ; but 

 their first nest is very often lost, as the crofters do all they can 

 to smash the eggs. The Ravens, when rearing their brood, kill 

 young lambs ; they also kill and carry away ducklings and chickens, 

 and often kill old cocks and hens. They will also take the eggs 

 and young of the Lapwing, Wild Duck, and other birds : nothing 

 of that kind comes amiss to them. They are early breeders, and 

 begin their nest in March, and if their first nest is destroyed which 

 often happens they will make another nest under an overhanging 

 cliff, where stones cast from the top cannot reach them. Ravens 

 are expert tumblers. I have often watched them when they go off 

 a high cliff: they can tumble flat on their back, recover, and tumble 

 again, and so on. However, I don't notice them do any tumbling 

 in winter, but only in the breeding season. After their young are 



