100 IVt/d Life around Edinburgh. [Sess. 



picture of bird-life before us. Skimming over the surface of 

 the water are a dozen swallows. They have only recently 

 arrived. The wealth of insect life attracts them here as well 

 as it does the swifts, which are busy feeding after their long 

 journey. The peculiar cry of the coot draws attention to 

 several pairs of these birds which are busy hunting among 

 the weeds. The coot can easily be distinguished by the 

 pure white spot on the forehead, contrasting with the dusky 

 plumage of the body. Feeding near the coot are a pair of 

 water-hens, more dainty in appearance and graceful in action. 



But our attention is attracted to another bird which, com- 

 ing suddenly into view, is down again out of sight almost 

 before we can get a look at it. Watching for it as it again 

 comes to the surface, we see it to be the dabchick, the 

 smallest of the grebe family. It is extremely shy and con- 

 stantly on the watch. It is in breeding plumage, and is a 

 handsome little bird. Its nest will be found somewhere 

 among the sedges. There is no fear of its being robbed, for 

 the edges of the pit are treacherous and dangerous in the 

 extreme, and no local youth would dream of venturing near 

 the edge, for it has long been a local tradition that the marl 

 pit has no bottom. 



Emerging from our shelter and walking round the margin 

 of the pit, we disturb a couple of mallards or common wild 

 duck, which we had not previously noticed. Crossing one of 

 the ditches which drain into the marsh, we somewhat unex- 

 pectedly raise a small bird, which, by its curious zigzag flight, 

 we see at once to be a snipe. 



We shall now leave the low ground and seek the woodlands 

 of Corstorphine Hill. But before doing so I wish to refer to 

 a paper I read before this Society in March 1899 on a badger 

 colony in Dalmeny Park. There has been nothing note- 

 worthy to record of the colony since that date. It has not 

 increased in size, but year after year as the young ones have 

 come to maturity they have had to shift for themselves, and 

 as a consequence the badger is now not at all uncommon in 

 Linlithgowshire. It may safely be said that as long as fox- 

 hunting is encouraged and continues in the district, so long 

 will the badger maintain its hold, for it would be difficult to 

 try to exterminate the badger without hurting the fox. 



