9762 Birds. 



Longtailed Duck. — Among the longtailed clucks there seems to be 

 a large proportion of inales this season. Sometimes in calm weather 

 pairs may be observed far out at sea flying in a northerly direction. 



Scaup. — Pairs of scaups are still about the voes, and a few may be 

 observed in the fresh-water lochs. 



Turnstone and Purple Sandpiper. — Turnstones and purple sand- 

 pipers are abundant ujjon all jiarts of the coast, and as yet show no 

 signs of departure. The plumage of the former species has now 

 become considerably faded. 



Starling. — Flocks of starlings are breaking up, and pairs may be 

 seen examining holes and crevices, as if with the intention of soon 

 commencing their nests. One pair has, to my own knowledge, occu- 

 pied the same hole for eight successive years. 



Ringed Plover and Dunlin. — Ringed plovers and dunlins are now 

 selecting their mates, thus causing the rapid dispersion of the small 

 parlies which returned to their breeding-grounds last month. 



May, 1865. 



Common and Blackheaded Gulls. — Common and blackheaded 

 gulls are reappearing in the neighbourhood of their breeding- 

 grounds. 



Wheatear. — On the 2nd of May I first observed wheatears building. 

 The nests of this species vary considerably, not only in appearance, 

 but also in the nature of the materials of which they are composed. 

 Every one that I have seen has contained feathers. A nest found in 

 a garden-wall was constructed as follows: first tlicre was a large mass 

 of fibrous roots, moss, dead weeds and hay, loosely spread upon the 

 bottom of the crevice by way of a foundation ; upon this was a cup- 

 shaped layer of smaller fibrous roots, and again one of fine roots, 

 intermixed with cow's-hair, upon which was another of similar 

 materials, with the addition ofaljouta third part of hay. Upon this 

 there was a distinct carefully-wrought lining in three layers, the first 

 consisting of pieces of twine and carpet-worsted, the second of a 

 thick mass of cow's-hair, and the third of a large quantity of small 

 feathers. I have often seen the male bird carrying the materials, but 

 usually he flits restlessly hither and thilher, watching his more 

 industrious mate, and occasionally rising upon wing to utter his short 

 but cheerful song. I often see these birds in trees, and used to think 

 that this habit was more common with young birds, but I imagine that 

 the greater abundance of the latter led me into error. Both old and 



I 



