128 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



before daybreak on Dunbar Links, as they were driven by the 

 force of the wind in scattered groups across the line of my path. 

 I have often, indeed, during the prevalence of north-easterly gales, 

 mistaken them in the grey dawn for pieces of foam blown from 

 the water. I recollect being, on one occasion, surrounded by a 

 benighted flock of snow-flakes, several of which struck against my 

 breast as I walked towards the beach, and fell stunned at my 

 feet. They were no doubt migrating parties just reaching the 

 shore. In Forfarshire the winter flocks observed near the coast 

 are evidently made up of both natives and migrants. Two years 

 ago I made an active search in the higher grounds of that county 

 about the end of April, and had the satisfaction of seeing small 

 flocks, and in some places, pairs of the bird nearly in summer 

 plumage, that of the males especially being clearly defined and 

 conspicuous during flight. Numbers are taken at this season to 

 the bird-stuffers of Brechin and Kirriemuir, and are called in 

 these towns " mountain finches." Shepherds and others living 

 near their haunts speak of the birds as constant residents, keeping 

 strictly to the mountains in summer, and approaching the low 

 lying lands in November and December, as the snow becomes 

 deeper. A sudden thaw, however, will cause whole flocks to dis- 

 appear in one day, and at such times they have repeatedly been 

 traced back to their old haunts on the highest ranges. 



THE COMMON BUNTING. 



EMBERIZA MI LI ARIA. 

 Gealag-bhuachair. 



ON all the western shores the Common Bunting is a familiar bird, 

 being found from the south of Wigtownshire to the north of the 

 Outer Hebrides, and extending westwards to St Kilda. So far as 

 my own notes enable me to judge, it is less local in the west of Scot- 

 land than in the east, and is much more numerous in districts near 

 the sea than in inland counties. It is, indeed, nowhere more plenti- 

 ful than in Argyleshire, Ayrshire, and Wigtownshire, frequenting 

 in these districts dry stone walls enclosing pasture lands and oat- 

 fields almost touching the beach. In such places it perches 

 occasionally on a bramble branch or tall stem of ragweed, and runs 



