80 TRANSACTIONS, NATXTRAL HISTORY SOCIETY OP GLASGOW. 



Oak to west of house — girth, 10 feet 5 inches at 2 feet 



6 inches ; bole, 9 feet. 

 Gean to south-west of house — girth, 7 feet 11 f inches at 3 feet 



6 inches ; bole, 7 feet. 



The increased growth in these trees is as follows : — 



First Beech — diameter of spread, 4| feet in 8 years, equal to 



7 inches per annum — girth, 6 inches in eight years, equal to 

 •75 inch per annum. 



Second Beech — girth, 15| inches in 12 years, equal to 1 29 inch 



per annum. 

 Yew — girth, 4| inches in 8 years, equal to -59 inch per annum. 

 ScotsFir— girth, 11 „ 8 „ „ -39 „ 



Oak — girth, 4 ,,12 „ ,, -33 „ ,, 



Gean — „ 5^ „ 8 „ „ -66 ,, „ 



Barskimming AND Ballochmyle, 16th May, 1903. — The 

 party on this occasion was under the leadership of Mr. James 

 Whitton, Superintendent of Glasgow Parks. Mr. John Paterson 

 has contributed the following report on the birds that were 

 observed : — 



" This proved an interesting excursion to the ornithologists pre- 

 sent, the valley of the Ayr being notoriously rich in sylvan 

 bird-life. Among the species observed were the BuUfinch 

 {Pyrrhula europcea), of which a nest with two eggs was seen; 

 the Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) and Garden Warbler (S. hor- 

 tensis), the latter being fairly numerous; the Spotted Flycatcher 

 [Muscicapa grisola) ; the Golden-crested Wren (Begulus cristatus), 

 of which species two nests that were seen were respectively ten 

 and sixteen feet from the ground; the ChifFchajff {Phylloscovus 

 rufus) ; and Wood- Wren (P. sihilatrix). Jackdaws {Corvus 

 monedula) were common, and Books (C. frugilegus) abounded. 

 There is at Barskimming a rookery of great size, believed by 

 Miss Fanny Anderson to be the largest in Ayrshire. To the 

 lady just named the party was much indebted for information 

 relating to the occurrence of the species above mentioned, and 

 all present were much interested in her great intimacy with 

 some quite wild birds, Chaffinches (Fringilla ccelebs) and Red- 

 breasts {Erithacus rubecula) especially, which answered her calls 

 and came to be fed by her." 



