The Zoologist— September, 1867. 897 



trees or bushes at the time : he had the utmost difficulty in "landing" 

 the swift, but at last managed to play it done, and then like a "kelt" 

 he returned it to its own element. 



Sand Martin. — The "sand swallow" is very plentiful, and I know 

 of many large colonies in sand and gravel-banks. I have seen numbers 

 of sand martins, soon after their general arrival, flying into and resting 

 in holes in an old wall near here. I, however, could not discover 

 whether or not they made their nests in it, as the wall was soon after- 

 wards repaired with lime. 



Goatsucker.— Local name, "night hawk." This is, I think, one of 

 the few hawk-like birds that escape the gamekeeper ; even the cuckoo 

 at times suffers. This is one advance which the keepers here have 

 made upon those who cannot discriminate between a Falco and a 

 Caprimulgus, and who still mercilessly slay them. The nightjar 

 breeds, to ray certain knowledge, in Torwood, Daleswood, Chasefield 

 and Dunmore. One nightjar every summer evening dashes past our 

 front door in pursuit of the moths and other insects which are attracted 

 by the lamp-light in the hall, sometimes so closely and quickly as to 

 give one a considerable start. 



Ring Dove. — Local name, " cushie doo." Plentiful, though not in 

 numbers to be compared with those in East Lothian. Vast numbers 

 of " Norwegian pigeons," as the papers call them, appear in some 

 severe winters near Edinburgh. In Stirlingshire the numbers are 

 also increased, but nothing in comparison with those further east. I 

 have taken the eggs of the wild pigeon, quite fresh, as late as the 30th 

 of September. I have often approached wild pigeons when feeding, 

 in a high wind, unobserved, when 1 think they are less wary than at 

 other times and when the wind is not so strong. 



Pheasant. — The pheasant is plentiful in all preserved parts of the 

 county, with few exceptions. In Dunmore woods many varieties are 

 killed, such as Bohemian, ringnecked, pied and white. Peacocks were 

 once turned out on Dunmore woods, but worked such havoc amongst 

 •the pheasants that Lord Dunmore ordered them to be all shot down 

 again. 



Capercaillie. — About four years ago, Mr. Thompson informs me, a 

 capercaillie laid eggs in Dunmore woods, but from circumstances 

 unknown failed in bringing them out. A capercaillie hen, which 

 seemed to have strayed far from its accustomed haunts, was killed a 

 good many years ago on Stennis Mnir, which is simply a large common 

 used for holding the three annual Falkirk " trysts" upon. It was the 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. II. 3 B 



