REPORT ON SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGY IN IQIQ 105 



breeding in one locality in the Outer Hebrides, while from 

 the same place we hear that Dunlin were very scarce. 

 Skylarks were scarce at Cromarty as a breeding species this 

 season, and on Tiree Wild Duck were much scarcer than 

 formerly, and Lapwing were extraordinarily scarce there as 

 a breeding species. From Kirkmichael we are told that 

 Rooks, Lesser Redpolls, Meadow- and Tree-pipits, Great 

 Tits, Willow-warblers, Wheatears, Cuckoos, Mallard, Tufted 

 Duck, Dabchicks, Oystercatchers, Golden Plover, Lapwing, 

 Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Curlew, and Moorhens were 

 below the average breeding numbers. At Seggieden, Perth- 

 shire, no Grey Wagtails, Redstarts, nor Blackcaps were 

 breeding, and Woodcock and Snipe were unusually scarce ; 

 while in the Bathgate district there was a great scarcity of 

 Whinchats, Meadow-pipits, and Skylarks. Referring to this 

 last, our correspondent writes : " I attribute this to the 

 ravages of the Starling, which has increased to such numbers 

 that it has become a pest in the district." No Blackcaps and 

 few House-martins were seen at Duns, while at Corsemalzie 

 (Wigtownshire) Chiffchaffs were again absent, and one pair 

 at Mochrum was all that our correspondent saw during 

 the summer. Very few Wheatears were seen there, and 

 Bullfinches are said to be very rare at Corsemalzie now. 



Summer and Nesting. 



The nesting of our earlier breeding birds was rather late 

 in 1919 on account of the cold spring. We have the following 

 from Bathgate : " It being a cold spring, birds were very late 

 in nesting, such species as the Lapwing being on an average 

 a fortnight later than usual." From Hareshawmuir, Ayr- 

 shire, we have the following note : " Small birds this year have 

 five eggs, previously four was the usual number." A Yellow- 

 hammer's nest is recorded from Beith with five eggs ; the 

 last time our recorder there found one with as large a clutch 

 was in 1906. 



On 1 6th April a Carrion Crow's nest with five fresh eggs 

 was found in a small fir-wood at Ballaird, Penninghame ; on 

 17th May they had another nest containing five young about 



