74 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



here. Another Scottish nesting place of the Whooper 

 Swan is recorded by Mrs Gordon (2. xv. 170), who, going 

 to a " West Highland Loch " hoping to photograph Black- 

 throated Divers, saw a pair of Whooper Swans, and after 

 a search found the nest with four eggs. 



Further satisfactory evidence of the increase of breeding 

 Duck is forthcoming. Pochard were found breeding on 

 Kilconquhar Loch (Fife) in June ; they have long been 

 known as abundant winter visitors there but have not 

 hitherto been proved to nest. On 19th June a female Eider 

 was seen near the head of Loch Fyne accompanied by three 

 very small young ones (2. xv. 213). This is the first time 

 their breeding there has been placed on record, although 

 as long ago as 1908 Dr Harvie-Brown knew of their nesting 

 there. An important extension of breeding range is that 

 of the Common Scoter ; the birds were seen b}^ Mr Henry 

 Boase on a loch in Perthshire, in June, and on his return 

 on 2nd July he saw one female with one downy duckling, 

 another with eight, and one other female and a male 

 (i. 192 1, 104). The Common Scoter would therefore appear 

 to be established as a breeding species in Perthshire and 

 should be looked for in other likely localities. 



Fulmars are steadily filling up the gaps in their distribu- 

 tion as breeding birds on the east coast ; they are recorded 

 from the cliffs between Hopeman and Covesea, six or seven 

 pairs at Troup Head and about twenty birds on the cliffs 

 between Arbroath and the Red Head (i. 1921, 126); further 

 details are given in SCOTTISH NATURALIST, 192 1, p. 158. 

 Great Crested Grebes were found nesting for the first time 

 in Kilmacolm Parish (xAyrshire) on 8th June, when the bird 

 was seen on her nest, and at Loch of Balgavies (Forfarshire), 

 where a pair bred and reared two young. {^Scotsman, 

 28th January 1922.) 



Increase and Decrease of Scottish Breeding 

 Birds. 



An increase of Starlings is noted from Hareshawmuir, 

 Ayrshire, and at Kilmacolm Bullfinches were more plenti- 

 ful than usual. From Beith comes the following very 



