386 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 
tions go back to 1872, has known in one season 12 or 14 
occupied nests at one place. According to Mr. Harting, in 
1871 they were in tall Spruce Firs,’ but they have been 
built in many different clumps of trees. The Herons have 
had Rooks as neighbours, and have been ousted by the 
smaller bird on occasion; but the chief cause of their decline 
is the manner in which they have been shot down outside 
the estate, although protected within. In 1896 there was 
only one nest near the fog-house, and I fear it is a lost 
colony, although last year there was also thought to be one 
nest.” A nest was reported to have been found at Barrcraig 
Meadows, Beith, but apparently this is an error. In 1897 I 
first heard a report that a pair of Herons nested in the woods at 
Johnstone Castle, and in 1898 two pairs were found, and one 
pair is also said to nest in the parish of Houston.” This com- 
pletes my tale of Renfrewshire Heronries, as the remainder of 
the county is covered by the statement of Messrs. John Paterson 
and John Robertson in their “List of the Birds of Hast 
Renfrewshire ”—‘‘ we do not know of the Heron breeding in 
this district,” + and this I can only substantiate. 
LANARKSHIRE. 
In this county the largest existing Heronry I know of is at 
Douglas Castle, where on Spruce Firs, on an island in the North 
Loch, there were about a dozen nests in 1895. This colony 
seems to have been founded about 1870, up to which year 
there was also “an old-established Heronry on large Spruce 
Firs in Glespin Wood, Douglas,”® but of the fate of this 
Heronry I know nothing. In the next parish (Crawfordjohn), at 
Gilkerscleuch, there was, about 100 years ago, on trees, “an ex- 
tensive heronry, but in the course of time, and after many severe 
contests with their multiplying foes, the herons were killed or 
dispersed, and the victorious rooks occupied their place.”® In 

# 
Zoologist (1872), p. 3269. 
Mr. C. Hogg, in lit., 14th January, 1899. 
Mr. M. Barr, in lit. to Mr J. Paterson, 8th November, 1896. 
Annals Scot. Nat. Hist. (1895), p. 227. 
Zoologist (1872), p. 3268. 
5’ N.S.A., VI. (1845), p. 500. 
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