1903-1904-] Wild Life around Edinburgh. 103 



In a curious old book entitled ' The Gentleman's Eecreation 

 of Fowling, with a Short Account of Singing-Birds,' published 

 in London in 1696, there are the following references to the 

 starling : " This bird is generally kept by all sorts of people 

 above any other bird for whistling ; " and in reviewing his list 

 of singing-birds this old writer says : " In the first place, I 

 look upon the starling to be the best ; and never heard better 

 than at the Greyhound in St Mary Ax, taught and sold by 

 the ingenious master of that house." In a history of singing- 

 birds published in Edinburgh in 1791 there is the following 

 note regarding the starling : " It does not sing naturally, but 

 has a wild screaming uncouth note : yet, for his aptness in 

 imitating man's voice and speaking articulately, and his learn- 

 ing to whistle divers tunes, is highly valued as a very pleasant 

 bird, and when well taught will sell for five guineas or more. 

 To slit their tongues, as many people advise and practise, that 

 the birds, as they say, may talk the plainer, is a cruel and 

 useless expedient." 



As an excursion to Cramond Island is included in our pro- 

 gramme this summer I may be excused if I give an account 

 of that remarkable gathering of starlings which existed for 

 some years on the island. I gave an account of it in the 

 ' Annals of Scottish Natural History,' but I have never brought 

 it directly under the notice of this Society. The starlings de- 

 serted the island about the autumn of 1902, and beneath the 

 trees on which they used to roost there has sprung up an 

 undergrowth of alder bushes, and perhaps the botanists of the 

 Society may discover other plants brought thither by the 

 agency of the starlings. But to refer to the beginning of the 

 roost, — for some years previous to the autumn of 1899 I had 

 noticed great flocks of starlings flying overhead in the direction 

 of Cramond Island. At that period, however, their numbers 

 increased so much as to attract general notice, and interest 

 people who did not usually pay much attention to bird life. 

 It was not only the remarkable numbers of starlings, but the 

 regularity and uniform time of their appearance, which excited 

 wonderment. They seemed to have some meeting-places away 

 inland, where they gathered, and they all journeyed together in 

 huge flocks. The beat of their wings as they passed overhead 

 caused quite a commotion in the air. The homing instinct 



