Birds. 511 



and the three small species of titmice, the creeper is not the most in- 

 active member of a lively, stirring, amusing, foraging party, often seen 

 scouring the woods, but forming a scene to be described only by the 

 pen of an Audubon. 



Common wren, " Thumb-wren," Troglodytes europaus. Frequent 

 and resident in all parts of the country. 



Cuckow, Cuculiis canorus. If, as is probably the case from some 

 observations that have been made, this bird arrive in this country some 

 weeks before it begins to utter its well-known call, the records of its 

 coming assign a rather late average date for its appearance, as they 

 are given more by what enters the ear than the eye. Moreover, when 

 only seen, it has not unfrequently passed for the merlin, or some small 

 hawk. 



The garrulous roller, Coraclas garrula, is reported in a newspaper 

 notice to have been killed at Ballindalloch in 1831. 



Common kingfisher, Alcedo Ispida. " Aberarder, lnvernesshire," 

 see ' Magazine and Annals of Natural History,' for May, 1842. 



Chimney- swallow, Hirundo rustica. 



House-martin, H. urbica. 



Bank-martin, " Sandy swallow," H. riparia. 



Common swift, Cypselus Apus. All common in the summer season. 

 No accurate account of the arrival or departure of the different spe- 

 cies can be given relative to this part of the country. The Loch of 

 Spynie, around whose waters a supply of their early food is found, is 

 the first place where the swallow-tribe are found upon their arrival in 

 spring. Occasional aberrations from the rule of their migrations, are 

 met with, as in the present season, when one of the first two species, 

 "either a swallow or martin, was seen on the 9th of December, flying 

 backwards and forwards along the sunny side of the road near Rait- 

 loan, Nairnshire," W. A. Stables, Esq. 



The following is a very meager list of dates referring to Moray. H. 

 riparia, seen April 29, 1843. H. rustica, May 15, 1837, and May 3, 

 1839. H. Apus, May 17, 1837, and May 14, 1838. A large flock of 

 H. riparia and two or three swifts arrived at the Loch of Spynie on the 

 forenoon of the 8th of May, 1839. The former were resting, seeming- 

 ly much fatigued, on the road and on the banks surrounding the Loch. 



Goat- sucker, Caprimulgus europceus. Found in the summer months 

 about all the larger woods and plantations. 



Ring dove, " Cushat," Columba Palumbas. Resident, and becom- 

 ing more numerous as the young plantations get up. Fond of the 

 acorn : at Cawdor-castle no less than twenty-eight ordinary sized 



