I 



BIRDS OBSERVED ON THE CLYDE. 65 



and thence by the river to the Red Bridge, to count the pies 

 nests, and made out thirty-four — possibly I had missed one or two 

 — and that fifteen pairs or more would nest in the stretch of 

 country referred to in that year, is, I believe, a modest estimate. 



The Jackdaw (Corvut monedula, Linn.) appears to nest 

 about Daldowie — it is regularly seen and heard there. Mr. 

 Wilson tells me he saw two of those mischievous birds mobbing 

 a pie at its nest and driving it oif, but the depredators were 

 apparently unsuccessful through failing to find the entrance, and 

 when last seen one of the daws was perched on the top of the 

 nest — in possession, but bafiled. 



The Rook (C. frugilegus, Linn.) is common. Rookeries 

 still exist at Dalmarnock House and Farme, but are very small 

 affairs, and probably also at Belvidere, though I have not passed 

 that spot this spring. There are, according to Mr. Watt's 

 interesting Census of Glasgow Rookeries [Tram. Nat. Hist. Soc. 

 Glasgow, VI., pp. 21-4), larger colonies at Westthorn, Easter- 

 hill, and FuUarton House on the right bank. Of the great 

 rookery at Morriston there are now no remains, although five 

 years ago there was a large colony there. The trees at this place 

 have nearly all been felled, and the last nests I have a record of 

 there were two in the spring of 1900. In that year also there 

 were fifty nests at Carmyle, and at a point a little east of the 

 same village, ten nests. 



The Skylark (Alauda arvensis, Linn.) is common in the 

 fields by the river. 



The Swift (Cypselus apus (Linn.)) is to be seen regularly 

 during its summer sojourn. 



The Kingfisher (Alcedo is2nda, Linn.) is still a feature of 

 this much-frequented stream — from Farme to Daldowie at any 

 rate — and has frequently essayed, with varying fortune, to nest 

 in the last dozen years. 



The Cuckoo {Cuculus canorus, Linn.) is occasionally heard 

 but is not very common. 



The Sparrow-Hawk (Accipiter nisus, Linn.) I have seen 

 occasionally. 



The Merlin (Falco cesalon, Tunstall), it appears, is still to be 

 reckoned as a visitor to Glasgow Green. Mr. Lugton, the 

 Curator of the People's Palace, tells me that in November last 



E 



