Transactions. 55 



I saw no Starlings after the 30tli November until the beginning 

 of March. I believe about the usual numbers retm-ned, but from 

 some unexplainable impulse they have kept flying about in flocks 

 over since. Only about five jier centum occupied their nesting 

 sites. Just now there are great numbers of them in the district 

 associating with Lajjwings. 



The Rooks and Jackdaws need not be mentioned farther than 

 to state, what was apparent to all observers, that these birds had 

 great difiiculty in keeping themselves just above starvation point. 

 It was noticed in some parts of the country that they sought out 

 and devoured those birds that had died of starvation. The little 

 Tree Creeper has evidently been killed out : I have seen only one 

 since last November, and they were comparatively common before. 

 The Wi'en sufiered severely, and I picked up several dead ones. Mr 

 Bruce tells me that at Slogarie the Wrens gathered into parties of 

 seven or eight, and as they flew fi'om one clump of brushwood to 

 another they pi-esented a striking resemblance to coveys of minia- 

 ture parUidges. These were doubtless the parties that had gathered 

 overnight and huddled together in some hole for mutual warmth. 

 Those who notice the various calls of birds would remark 

 the scarcity during the past summer of the familiar calls of the 

 Cuckoo and the Landrail and the "jai-r" of the Fern Owl. The 

 two former birds were actually very scarce ; but the latter, although 

 its loud, jarring notes were less frequently heard, was about as 

 often seen as formerly. 



In the late autumn months we had a remarkable immigration 

 of Kingfishers. On the Nith, Urr, and Dee these birds appeared 

 conmionly where one, or at most a pair, were previously to be met 

 with at wide intervals. They disappeared for the most part about 

 the middle of December, when the frost became so excessively 

 severe. 



The various members of the Swallow tribe, although later in 

 coming in spring, stayed on an average about a fortnight beyond 

 their usual time for departure in autumn. Wood Pigeons 

 endured the storm longer than others, and it was the second week 

 in January before dead ones were seen. The stronger birds were 

 mere bundles of feathers and bones. Hunger overcame their 

 natural timidity, and they came to feed in the cottage gardens on 

 the remains of cabbage and kail stumps. When thus feeding 

 many of them were easily caught. It is rather strange that such 

 a bird as a Wood Pigeon should have remained to suflfer hunger, 



