166 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



of the young bird being exceedingly fresh and well marked." 

 "July 21 — A young cuckoo on a great porphyry boulder 

 at the western foot of Aonach Mor." "August 2 — Young 

 cuckoo among the natural birches on the banks of Allt a 

 Mhuiliun, the torrent which, after receiving Allt Coire an 

 Lochan, the stream which drains the lake on Ben Nevis, falls 

 into the Lochy near Ben Nevis distillery. I could not find 

 out how much longer the young cuckoo lingers here, the im- 

 pression in the district being that no cuckoos are met with 

 later than June. As the young cuckoo seems to be a silent 

 bird, its absence is assumed when its note is not heard." 



Hooded or grey crow {Corvus comix). — This bird is common. 

 I noticed a pair on the lowermost slope of Dundbhairdghall, 

 Glen Nevis, on the 11th of June, one of which attracted atten- 

 tion. The parts which are usually a dull leaden-grey, were 

 of a distinctly marked, though dirty, white colour. 



The starling {Sturnus vulgaris) and the lark (Alauda 

 a7'vensis). — I bracket these widely-separated birds for a 

 reason obvious to all who remember recent discussions re- 

 lative to the alleged influence of the former bird on the latter. 

 I do not believe in the gradual disappearance of the lark over 

 Scotland generally. In its rarity in districts where it was 

 once abundant I do, but it appears to me that local conditions 

 other than the increase of the starling, which is not to be 

 questioned, might be pointed to in trying to account for this. 

 Changes in farming, increase of egg gathering, and the increase 

 yearly of capture by bird dealers, are all influential factors in 

 thinning the numbers of the lark, especially in the neighbour- 

 hood of the great centres of population. I had come to be- 

 lieve the impression of long, long ago, that the whole lift 

 sounded with the music of larks, as they mounted higher 

 and higher to the deep blue overhead, was no more than an 

 exaggerated dream of early childhood. But if any one wishes 

 to see that it was not a dream, he has only, in June or July, 

 to find his way to Lochaber, and to take a long day of sun- 

 shine to wander about Corpach Moss, which is a favourite 

 resort of this bird. On the 8th of June I counted eleven 

 "singing at heaven's gate" at the same time. What an 

 opportunity, I thought, this is to clench the assertion of the 



