1 18 Habits of the Black and Red Grouse, 



Whether these birds were a fresh flight from the northern 

 parts of Europe, or remains of the flocks which hod wintered 

 with us, it is difficult to determine ; but 1 am inclined to the 

 latter opinion, and consider it highly probable that the cross- 

 bills which visited this country in the summer of 1835 had 

 continued with us during the whole time, in flocks, and had 

 not felt any incitement to pair and breed. I am the more 

 induced to believe it to be the case, as I recollect, in the year 

 1823, when this island was visited by such numerous flights, 

 they continued in this neighbourhood during the winter and 

 spring months of 1822; and were noticed in different parts of 

 this county, in flocks, until the end of May of that year. 

 Stoke Nai/land, Si/folk, Jan. 12. 1837. 



Art. III. Notice of the Breeding of Woodcocks in Selkirkshire ; 

 with Observations upon the Habits and Manners of the Black 

 and Red Grouse, and Carrion Croiv, in Scotland. By W. L.* 



The carrion, or black, crow (Vol. IX. p. 547.) is not 

 unknown in the low country of the north of Scotland ; but it 

 is by no means plentiful, although I never saw it except in 

 pairs. It would be strange indeed if it had not arrived where 

 the hare, rabbit, polecat, weasel, stoat, wild cat, mole, badger, 

 &c, have found their way. Some of these, doubtless, may have 

 been brought. There are no perch north of Perth, and no 

 minnows, but plenty of sticklebacks. No pike are to be found 

 in streams that fall into the West Sea, nor in the lochs from 

 which they flow. 



But to return to the crows. In former times, the grey, 

 Houston, or hooded, crow, had, as I think, been the more com- 

 mon species, even in the border counties where it is now 

 almost unknown ; for the carrion crow is called every where 

 the hoody crotv, and seems to have gradually banished the 

 other, which, although almost as subtle and cautious, has 

 somewhat more of a sylvan or wild character. These two 

 nearly connected species do not generally incline to associate : 

 for I have twice seen them paired in Selkirkshire, but never a 

 black and a grey crow together. 



I am not aware that the black carrion crow is at all common 

 on the north-west coast, or on any of the W r estern Islands. 



I once saw a flock of the grey hooded crows feeding on 

 shell-fish, on the east coast of Jura, after a violent storm, 

 which I could not estimate at less than 500 ; and I did not 

 observe one black crow amongst them. 



* An old correspondent of this Magazine. 



