NOTES AND QUERIES. 317 



for when I had the opportunity of investigatmg this point I had 

 never thought of the matter in the present light. But here, no 

 doubt, some other reader of ' The Zoologist ' can supply an observa- 

 tion or two. 



It seems to me that the Corn-Crake has disappeared from our 

 southern counties because the drill has made the corn-fields quite un- 

 tenable as nesting grounds, and as the meadows are unsafe for another 

 reason, and the proportion of suitable pasture fields is inadequate as 

 a reservoir (as I have explained in relation to the Lancashire stock), 

 the bird has practically vanished from the avifauna as a nesting 

 species. 



I should like to add a little postscript, but I am tempted to make 

 it a long one ! The Corn-Crake says " crex, crex " about sixty-five 

 times a minute, and will often keep it up for many minutes at 

 a stretch. Once I decided to count how many times a bird uttered 

 its note without a break, but after counting up to five hundred I got 

 tired of the monotonous task and gave it up. I could hear it as I 

 went upstairs to bed, and I reckoned it uttered at least two thousand 

 consecutive calls before lulling me to sleep. A careful account of 

 the physiology of the vocal organs of the Corn-Crake would be a 

 valuable addition to the literature of birds. — Feedk. J. Stubbs. 



Kite in Scotland, and other Notes. — I am very pleased to say that 

 this rare bird can still be seen about fifteen miles from this town. On 

 June 18th I had the great pleasure of seeing a very fine specimen. 

 This bird has been observed by several people, but recently always 

 alone, so I fear it has lost its mate. It is known that a gamekeeper 

 fired at a Kite in April, but the shepherd tells me that he missed on 

 that occasion. I have seen the keeper, and he says he is aware the 

 bird chiefly feeds on young rabbits, and that he does not molest it. 

 Still, it is strange how they have diminished in numbers. The 

 " Gled," as it is locally called, came here about six years ago, and at 

 first succeeded in rearing young. After that two pairs could be seen 

 flying about, but in two recent expeditions I have only succeeded in 

 viewing one bird. The Buzzard is unknown in this district, but the 

 Peregrine can still be seen, despite the most shameful treatment 

 meted out to it by six gamekeepers always on the watch. A pair 

 nested on the Basta (or Bastard) Eock in May, but the keeper shot 

 both old birds and destroyed the young. He also raked a Eaven's 

 nest near the same place, but failed to destroy the old birds. I have 

 seen several Eavens about, but know of no nests. Another pair of 

 Falcons nested on the west coast of Kintyre. I saw the two remain- 



