78 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



nests in a radius of 20 yards round its base; these all hatched 

 out, three to five from each nest. They were so tame that 

 we could lift their wings and look at the eggs, and they 

 would not fly " — another instance of how readily Eider 

 respond to protection. 



Arctic Terns arrived at Out Skerries in May in their 

 usual numbers, " but seemed very half-hearted about 

 nesting. Some of them made a start to nest and laid 

 a few eggs in June, but the weather was more like mid- 

 winter than mid-summer, with a strong gale from the north 

 and snow. The temperature went down to 33° F. about 

 20th June. The Terns that had laid all left their eggs, 

 and Gulls came along and gobbled them up without even 

 a protest from a Tern. In 1920 the eggs were so thick you 

 could hardly walk without breaking them." 



A Sedge-warbler's nest with six eggs is reported from 

 Longcroft Water, Berwickshire, and an Oystercatcher's nest 

 with the same number of eggs, on the shore of the Clyde 

 on 17th May (i. 1921, 134). 



The first note of nesting in 192 1 comes from Seggieden, 

 Perth, where, on 12th February, Missel-thrushes and Stock- 

 doves were preparing to nest. A Starling was building 

 at Lauder on the 17th and Rooks at Dundee on the 21st. 



As early as 2nd March several Lapwings' nests with one, 

 two, and three eggs were found at Hareshawmuir, Ayrshire, 

 and a Song-thrush was sitting ; this is a very early date, 

 and particularly remarkable, as Hareshawmuir is 600 ft. 

 above sea-level. During the month we have notes of a 

 Greenfinch carrying nesting material, while Thrushes and 

 Lapwings, Owls, Mallard, and Shags were nesting. By 

 April many species were nesting ; on the 8th a male and 

 female Merganser were seen at Garvocks Loch, which is 

 inland near Greenock, and on the loth a Raven's nest in 

 West Argyll had young almost fully fledged — an early date. 

 A Stonechat's nest with five eggs was found on the 12th 

 in the West Highlands, from which locality we have also 

 notes of Buzzards' and Curlews' nests with eggs, and of 

 young Herons, all before the end of the month. From 

 Noss Head, Caithness, we hear of Lapwings and Ringed 



