104 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



when they should be included under a separate section. We 

 shall begin in the north of the country and work southwards. 



In the Shetlands a considerable increase in the number 

 of Fulmar Petrels is recorded they" now appear to breed on 

 every cliff round the Shetlands " ; Arctic and Great Skuas and 

 Red-throated Divers are increasing ; while the reports of the 

 breeding of the Red-necked Phalarope are very satisfactory 

 (2. xiii. 159). The Gannets have formed quite a respectable 

 colony on the Island of Noss (i. 1920, 28), while on Foula the 

 Kittiwakes, Guillemots, and Razorbills are increasing and 

 have established fresh colonies on the eastern side. Our 

 correspondent at Cromarty writes of unusual abundance of 

 Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Pied Wagtails, Blackbirds, and 

 Thrushes. Turning now to North Uist, Grey-lag Geese and 

 Redshanks were extremely plentiful. At Kirkmichael, 

 Perthshire, Grey and Pied Wagtails, Garden-warblers, Missel- 

 and Song -thrushes, Redbreasts, Dippers, Sand-martins, 

 Snipe, and Corncrake were all above their average numbers ; 

 about Seggieden and the Upper Tay Estuary, Linnets, Pied 

 Wagtails, Willow-warblers, and Spotted Flycatchers were 

 unusually numerous during the breeding season. About 

 Largo(Fife), Spotted Flycatchers, House-martins, and Cuckoos 

 were more plentiful than usual in the summer of 1919, and 

 Stockdoves are increasing markedly in this neighbourhood ; 

 while Linnets and Cuckoos were more numerous than they 

 have been for some years at Bathgate, West Lothian. In 

 Clyde, Nightjars are increasing near Kilmacolm (i. 1919, 166), 

 and Linnets at Beith. Redstarts were extraordinarily 

 plentiful about Coldstream in the summer of 1919; while at 

 Duns this species. Garden-warblers, and Whitethroats were 

 very numerous, and Sedge-warblers were "fairly common, 

 some seasons none observed." In the Corsemalzie district 

 Wood-warblers, Whitethroats, and Sedge-warblers were 

 unusually plentiful, while Stonechats returned to Corsemalzie, 

 and at least three pairs nested; none bred there in 1918. 

 Oystercatchers are increasing as an inland breeding species 

 in this locality. 



Turning now to the less cheerful side of our subject, we 

 hear of a decrease in the number of Red-necked Phalaropes 



