70 The Zoologist — February, 1866. 



Starling. 



Crow. — Not so abundant as formerly, being kept down, along wilh 

 the following species, by gamekeepers. 



Hooded Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Magpie. 



Jay. — Very scarce. I knew one nest of young jays in 1862, but 

 they were all destroyed, along with the old birds, by gamekeepers. 



Creeper, Wren. 



Cuckoo. — Arrives with great regularity about the first week of May, 

 and occasionally as early as the middle of April. 



Kingfisher. — Local name, " king's fisher." 1 have repeatedly watched 

 over the breeding-haunts of this beautiful bird, and on two occasions 

 have helped myself to their eggs. One nest I knew was destroyed, 

 along wilh the parent bird, by the sand-bank in which it was placed 

 slipping down and burying all in a premature grave (Zool. 8954). 



Sicallow. — In seven years in which I have noted the arrival of the 

 migratory birds 1 find the swallow stands as follows: — In 1859, on the 

 22nd of April; in 1860, on the 24th of April ; in 1861, on the 12lh of 

 April; in 1862, on the 22nd of April ; in 1863, on the 18th of April; 

 in 1864, on the 14th of April; and in 1865, on the 10th of April. 



Martin. — Not numerous, and every year seeming to become less so. 



Sand Martin. 



Swi/i. — Local names, "crau" and "bleak martin." 



Nightjar. — Not a very abundant, but a very regular, visitor. ' 



Ring Dove. — Local name, " cushie-doo." 1 have taken the eggs as 

 late as the 30th of September (Zool. 9113). 



Plieasant. 



Black Grouse. — In very small numbers. 



Red Grouse. — Not abundant : 1 only know of one spot actually in 

 the parish, where there are perhaps two or three coveys every year. 



Partridge. 



Golden Plover. — Large flocks attend the ploughed fields in winter, 

 as also the ground occupied by the Falkirk fair or " tryst" at Stennis- 

 muir. 



Ringed Plover. — I have every reason to believe that this bird breeds 

 in small numbers around Loch Koutre or Colter, as I see them there 

 every spring I go, in company, or at any rate seeming to mingle with 

 the dunlins. 



Lapwing. — Local name, " peewit." 



Heron. — A few frequent the river every year. 



Bittern. — I have seen one stuffed specimen, in a very dilapidated 



