i6o THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



before mentioned became more numerous, and Wader and 

 Sea-fowl too began to breed. The first Gannet's egg was 

 seen on the Bass on the ist, and before the end of the 

 month the earliest nesters had hatched ; while Woodcock, 

 Curlew, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, and Redshanks all 

 had eggs. Chiffchaffs were heard calling all about Corse- 

 malzie (Wigtownshire) from 6th to 30th April, when they 

 all vanished, and a nest there, lined and ready for eggs, was 

 deserted ; and Mr Gordon adds, he " never saw or heard 

 any in Wigtownshire after, though they are usually quite 

 common." About twelve Herons' nests were in use in Duns 

 Castle woods this season, and the same number of Stock- 

 doves are reported from New Galloway, nesting in the same 

 cleuch as a Raven. On 24th April Fulmars visited the 

 Kittiwakes' breeding cliffs at the Butt of Lewis, and some 

 remained till about i6th May (i. 1914, 165). A note comes 

 of Kingfishers and Great Spotted Woodpeckers having bred 

 at Peebles ; and two male Pied Flycatchers were seen there 

 on 3rd May, but whether they nested this year is not certain. 

 On 1st May Common Sandpipers began laying at Darvel 

 (2. vi. 90), and next day the first Herring - gull's eggs were 

 found at the Butt of Lewis. A Partridge's nest at Beil 

 had several eggs on the 3rd (i. 1914, 164), and the 6th saw 

 the first Puffin's egg at Sule Skerry, from whence comes 

 the note — " numbers of Scarts' (Shags) nests have four 

 eggs in them this year." A heavy gale on 8th May 

 destroyed many of these nests, some being blown away, 

 others washed off by the heavy seas. The first Guillemot's 

 egg was seen on the Isle of May on 7th May ; on the 9th 

 five Razorbills' eggs were seen (i. 1914, 164), and those 

 nesting on the Bass also had eggs about this date (I.e.). 

 An Eider's nest with five eggs was found on the Isle of May 

 on the 8th (I.e.); all these notes go to prove that nesting 

 in 1914 was decidedly early. A Short-eared Owl nested 

 on the moor at Reston, but the female and all the young 

 were destroyed. As the month progresses more notes come 

 of young being hatched. Grouse had young at Braidshaw- 

 rigg (Lauder) on the i6th, and several pairs of Dunlin 

 and a nest with three eggs were seen in Berwickshire on 



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