-256 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



^uently visited, the moss-cheeper continued to feed 

 her voracious nesthng, and as an evidence of her 

 ^are over it, "upon the approach of a cow towards 

 the nest whilst grazing, the little bird fluttered 

 round it in great uneasiness, and on its nearer 

 approach actually pecked at its face, and succeeded 

 in turning it from the spot." To prevent the cuckoo 

 being taken away, the nest with its inmate was for 

 6ome time removed into the house in the evenings, 

 and replaced in its former situation in the mornings, 

 the lark continuing to supply its wants during the 

 day. When nearly full-fledged it was kept for some 

 days entirely in the house and fed with worms, 

 which it ate greedily from the hand, devouring 

 thirty or forty daily. It appeared to be fond of 

 water, and sucked a finger when dipped in it with 

 much apparent relish. Its foster-mother kept near 

 the house for a day or two, but could not be 

 induced inside, and at last disappeared. The young 

 <iuckoo, after living some time in apparent health, 

 was found one morning dead in its nest. 



He refers a good deal to birds of jDassage, to the 

 notes of birds, and to the folk-lore and poesy that 

 has gathered round them. "Many birds cease 

 jsinging about midsummer . . . but some of 

 them . . . resume their notes in September 

 ^nd October. . . . The redbreast is said to sing 

 only in the autumn, although it sings all through 

 the spring, summer, and autumn ; but in the two 

 first seasons, its voice being weak, is not distin- 

 guished in the general chorus. The redbreast, like 

 the wren, sings also during winter." Of the snipe 

 he says : " The male bird keej)s on the wing for an 

 hour together, mounting like a lark and vittering 

 ja> shrill x^ix^ing noise ; it then descends making a 

 bleating noise, which is repeated round the nest 

 possessed by the female, especially when she is 

 sitting on her eggs." 



"The dislike," he says, "that prevails in Scotland 

 to the yellow-hammer, proceeds not only from the 



