12 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Nests. 

 IVoodhall, opposite Juniper Green . . . about 90 



Corstorphine ; in grounds of Convalescent Home . . 52 



Craigleith ; at Royal Victoria Hospital . . -33 



For the first time, there were last year no nests at 

 the Arboretum (Inverleith House). 



Barntofi ; west side of Park, and adjacent grounds . 207 



Cramond House, including a few outliers . . .84 



Total . . . 1545 



On the basis of the above " Census " of nests we arrive 

 at the conclusion that, in April 192 1, the City of Edinburgh 

 had within its borders a rook population of roundly 3100 

 breeding birds. There would probably also be some non- 

 breeding birds, but their number could not, I imagine, 

 amount to more than a few scores at most. 



Our Edinburgh rooks spend the winter nights far from 

 the City, those belonging to the southern and eastern 

 districts, including Morningside and Comiston, going to 

 the great winter-roost — known locally as the Crow Wood — 

 at Hurley Cove, in Penicuik House policies ; while those 

 of the western districts — Colinton to Cramond — go to the 

 famous Newliston roost. For a great many years the 

 Penicuik Crow Wood was not only a noted winter-roost 

 but the most populous rookery in Midlothian as well. My 

 surprise was therefore great, on revisiting it in April last, 

 to find it entirely deserted. This may be partly due to 

 the wood having been badly " blown " some years ago ; 

 but the main reason is to be found in the fact that, for 

 three years in succession during the war, special efforts 

 were made to keep the birds off their nests. This was 

 done, Mr Buchanan, the estate manager, tells me, in response 

 to an appeal to proprietors to keep down rooks, made by 

 the County Council as a possible means of increasing 

 the food supply. Although the local birds have left the 

 wood to build elsewhere, it is still resorted to as a great 

 winter-roost. 



