224 RALFE: BIRDS OF LONAN, ISLE OF MAN. 
a nesting-site of the Grey Crow, of at least 50 years’ standing, 
and that remains of nests were there to be seen on the ground, 
I took an opportunity, though the season was winter, of visiting 
the spot. Following up a mountain stream to near its head, at 
a height above sea level of 1,000 feet, I found a small but 
sharply-defined gully, down which fell a little waterfall, the sides 
of the ravine being richly clothed with tall heather, blaeberry, 
Luzula, hard-fern, polytrichum and sphagnum mosses; much of 
the vegetation being richly green even in January. Down the 
opening of the gully was a wide and picturesque view, the village 
of Agneash standing out on its cultivated promontory among 
the barren fells, and far beneath the Laxey valley, with its many 
scattered white houses, winding to the sea. Near the lower 
end of the gully, just under the top of the bank, were the 
remains of a nest well-sheltered by tall bushy heather, perhaps 
fifteen feet above the bed of the stream; and a little higher up, 
just opposite the waterfall, a second in a very similar but perhaps 
a little steeper situation lower down. Still higher up, where the 
sides of the ravine became diminutive cliffs instead of slopes ee 
heather-covered earth, a third lay on a little ledge just at arms 
reach from the ground. All these remains seemed to be some 
years old, and my informant knew of no nesting within four or 
five years’ time. In treeless and clifiless districts, such as are 
afforded by some of the Outer Hebrides, it appears that the 
- Hooded Crow frequently nests on the ground, but in the Island 
the maritime cliffs are its chief resort; and in inland districts 
trees, though not usually abundant, are fairly well distributed, 
and also used by it, so that such sites as those mentioned above 
seem peculiar. 
*Rook. Corvus frugilegus. Abundant ; to be met with every 
where, in the fields, in the village, on the beach, om the 
moorlands. So far as I know there are only three rookeries in 
the district, two (small ones) within the limits of the village, the 
other (larger) a little outside. 
*Raven. Corvus corax. ‘Two or three pairs on the coast. 
Swift. Cypselus apus. Seemingly a passing straggler only. 
*Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus. 
*Long-eared Owl. Asio otus. 
“Sparrow Hawk. Accipiter nisus. 
“Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrinus. Two pairs; 27 oi g 
bird, caught at one of the nesting places last summer, was [or 
some time kept at Laxey. rail 
Natu : 
