48 WASTE GROUND AND SUBURBAN BIRD-LIFE. 



flocks of varying size in midwinter, but the lesser black-backed 

 gull (Z. fuscus), although numerous in Glasgow harbour during 

 part of each year, has not yet been noticed in the district. 



A young kittiwake gull {Rissa tridactyld) was observed by Mr. 

 H. B. Watt and myself on the 17th of November, 1895, after 

 heavy weather. It is the first live bird of this species that has 

 come under our notice in East Renfrewshire. 



A pathetic interest attaches to the last addition to the list, the 

 little grebe (Podicipes fluviatilis). Mr. Robert Wilson tells me 

 that in September, three years ago, a little grebe was noticed 

 early one morning on the pond north of the curling pond at 

 Hangingshaw, and soon attracted the usual polite attentions of 

 the young barbarians of the neighbourhood. After a protracted 

 hunt the poor grebe was harassed to death. 



Regarding the species previously recorded for the district, a 

 few notes are necessary. The redwing (Turdus iliacus) and 

 fieldfare (T. pilaris) continue to appear regularly in winter. 

 This autumn I saw both species in Queen's Park in the last week 

 of October. The goldfinch (Carduelis elegans) has been seen 

 by others as well as myself on three or four occasions about 

 Hangingshaw. The rook (Corvus frugilegus) continues to nest 

 in the locality near Crosshill Station before mentioned, while the 

 inclusion of Camphill in our district adds another rookery of fair 

 size (numbering over twenty nests) to our area. The kingfisher 

 {Alcedo ispida) I have only once seen here since the last series 

 of notes was published. I heard the cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) 

 during the past summer in Crosshill, and have been credibly 

 informed by others of its occurrence there this year. The 

 sparrow-hawk (Accipiter nisus) continues to be seen, in autumn 

 especially, while the corn-crake (Crex pratensis) is represented in 

 summer by several pairs. 



Although the list for the district is more than double what it 

 was when first presented to the Society, there are still a few 

 species which may reasonably be expected to be added as the 

 result of continued observation. A district like the one described 

 has its disadvantages, still it is well situated for the observation of 

 the migratory movements of a number of species. The breeding 

 birds being well known, others which appear in spring and autumn 

 are at once recognised as birds of passage pursuing their " hedge 



