Proceedings. 99 



for rock-birds in the immediate neighbourliood of Arran More. 

 A single Puffin, picked up dead on Rutland Island, was the 

 sole occurrence of this sjjecies noted. 



Black Guillemots were generally distributed; a pair of eggs, 

 much incubated, were taken on June 1st. On May 31st a 

 nest had been visited containing well-fledged young ; a pair 

 of fresh eggs were brought to me on or about the same date. 



A single Sanderling was observed on Eutlaud Island on 

 May 25th. Dunlins were seen on the same date and on the 

 following day, some with and others without the black breast. 

 Eing Dotterell had eggs on May 25th. On May 22nd a young 

 Great Northern Diver was met with in Arran Sound ; another 

 was seen on May 28th. 



On May 23rd eight Choughs were noticed in a field on 

 Arran More ; the male, on finding a worm, feeds the female; 

 they are active and powerful birds on the ground ; standing 

 with feet set well apart, they tossed the clods to right and left, 

 and worked holes from three to four inches in de]3th. From 

 this date we saw the Chough daily ; it replaces the Jackdaw 

 on Arran More and the adjacent islands and mainland. It 

 is very sociable in habit ; parties of ten or a dozen might be 

 seen at play not far from the houses, and single birds or pairs 

 running in and out of holes which contained no nests. The 

 nests which we saw were usually inaccessible. By May 25th 

 four young Choughs were hatched ; the legs, feet, and claws 

 were flesh-coloured ; the beak large, and of a beautiful coral- 

 pink. By June 5th the legs were a dull orange-colour, and 

 the bill blackish, with flesh-coloured tip and edges. The 

 nest was less bulky than a Jackdaw's, more green moss and 

 less wool being used ; the frame-work was of Heather-twigs. 

 At Crohy Head, further south, two or three pairs of Choughs 

 were breeding, but Jackdaws predominated ; many hundreds 

 of this species and a few Hooded Crows nested in the cliffs. 

 I saw no ill-will manifested towards one species by the others. 



On May 23rd a Twite's nest, with eggs, was found built in 

 Heather among the highest rocks on Arran More. The 

 Common Linnet is sparingly distributed on this island and 

 over "the Eosses" generally, but the Twite undoubtedly 



