572 Natural History in Scotland: — 



Sylvia TJub^cula, Robin redbreast. Nest in ditch-banks, or a hole in a wall. 



— S. Phoeniciirus, Redstart. Nest in a wall, or a hole in the side of a 

 tree. 



Curruca salicaria, Sedge warbler. Nest among reeds on the margin of a 

 river. — C. cinerea, Whitethroat. Nest in a low shrub, or in a hedge. 



Sylvia Trochilus, Yellow wren. Nest on the ground among long grass, 

 and often near a bush. 



ikfotacilla y/credula, Willow wren. Nest on the ground, near a low bush ; 

 lined with feathers. [According to Rennie (Montagu's Dict.)^ the two 

 last names relate to one bird.] — M. flava. Yellow wagtail. Nest on the 

 ground. These birds follow the cattle at pasture. 



Parus major. Greater titmouse. Nest in the hollow of a tree, or in a wall. 



— P. cgeruleus, Blue titmouse. Nest in a hole in a wall. — P. ater, 

 Colemouse. Nest in holes of trees, or in a wall. 



Frlngilla domestica. House sparrow. Can accommodate its nest to various 



situations. 

 Perdix cinerea, Partridge. Nest at the bottom of a low hedge. 

 OHus aurita, Horned owl. Nest in the old nest of a magpie or of a crow. 

 -(41auda arvensis, Skylark. Nest in corn fields and pastures. 

 Pringilla iS'piza Rennicy Chaffinch. Nest on the branch of an apple or other 



low tree. 

 Emberiza Citrinella, Yellowhammer. Nest in a ditch-bank. — E. ikfiliaria, 



Common bunting. Nest on the ground, in open fields. — E. iS'chcenl- 



culus. Reed bunting or colehood. Nest often in a rush bush in marshy 



ground, 

 ifirundo urbica. House martin. Nest in the upper corner of windows. — 



H. rustica, Swallow. Nest often on beams in out-houses. — H. yi^pus, 



Swift. I have not seen the nest. 



We do not need to go without the circuit of a mile for any 

 of the above-mentioned birds. Many others breed in this 

 part of the country; but I only report actual observation. 

 Had I leisure to go a few miles farther out, many more 

 species would be added ; such as the curlew, moorfowl, sand- 

 piper, water-crow, titling, stone and whin chat, landrail or 

 corncrake, and some others. I forgot to mention the nest of 

 the landrail: it is in hay fields. I have seen a dozen of young 

 ones together ; they are very like the young of the domestic 

 hen : they are entirely black. Saw a swallow on the 10th of 

 April : we considered its appearance early. Saw no more till 

 the 22d of that month. Redstart came about the same time: 

 a pair built their nest in a basket that w^as hanging in an out- 

 house, and brought out five young. A large flock of wild 

 geese passed over us by the middle of October, in a south- 

 easterly direction : w^e held their early appearance to prognos- 

 ticate a storm in the northern isles. 



Meteorology and Vegetation of Rerifrew and its Neighbour- 

 hood, — The more prominent features of the past year have 

 been, an excellent seedtime, and a more than usual display 

 of aurora borealis in the spring months ; a warm summer, 

 seasonably supplied with gentle showers ; a plentiful and 

 early harvest ; a full swelling and ripening of buds, which 



