56 .PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



birds — the two species which he considers to have suffered most in 

 his district — Ballachulish, Argyllshire, — at about 20 per cent. 



The following incident is related to me by Mr. Maclennan of 

 Fannich, on the authority of an acquaintance : — " One morning in 

 Jan. he saw a Rook go into his hen-house along with the hens, and 

 later on in the day the same bird began to peep in at the dwelling 

 house, and at last got the length of the fireside, which he seemed 

 for some time to enjoy, and, having put his bill under his wing, 

 looked as if he were going to sleep ; but soon he began to stagger 

 as if drunk, and ultimately fell over quite dead." The poor bird 

 found the reaction too great, as with the Water-hens mentioned in 

 First Report. 



Starling. — Sturnus vulgaris, Lin. — Starlings, though very 

 plentiful in autumn, and large flocks roosting on reeds at Lake of 

 Menteith, all went away, and not one was to be seen in that dis- 

 trict. In the E. of Stirlingshire they did not leave, but fed all 

 through the storm around Dunipace House, coming freely to 

 crumbs, &c, with other species. 



Brambling. — Fringilla montifringilla, Lin. — Bramble Finches 

 are reported as abundant in the S. W. of Scotland during several 

 weeks in Jan. and Feb., 1881. Mr. Service adds, — " Usually they 

 are very scarce." I can remember what multitudes frequented all 

 the district around Edinburgh during the severe winter of 1860-61 

 — a winter equally famous for the hosts of " Norwegian Pigeons " 

 which came over. 



I cannot help thinking that the importance of daily Ornithological 

 Journals is much under-estimated by local naturalists. I believe 

 that were these Journals all brought together and compared 

 annually, and the distribution of our autumn and winter migrants 

 every year carefully mapped out, showing the areas of greatest 

 abundance in each year by darker colours, and the areas of scarcity 

 by lighter colours, even if confined to a study of half-a-dozen species, 

 that a great aid would be given thereby to students who are working 

 out the problems of migration, especially if dates and duration of 

 residence were indicated, and character of weather given on the 

 map. But such a map, to be really useful, would require the united 

 efforts of local naturalists throughout the country. A large com- 

 mittee might therefore be formed, and a sub-committee appointed, 

 and paid, possibly, for working out the results. 



Goldfinch. — Carduelis elegans, Stephens. — This bird appeared 



