late Professor Maegillivray. 199 



the individuals around, which, to your surprise, if it be your 

 first rencontre, you see spring up one by one from the bare 

 ground. They generally fly off in a loose body, with a direct 

 and moderately rapid flight, resembling, but lighter than, 

 that of the brown Ptarmigan, and settle on a distant part of 

 the mountain, or betake themselves to one of the neighbour- 

 ing summits, perhaps more than a mile distant." — (Vol. i., p. 

 199.) 



Again, let us visit a rookery with him at night : " Not hav- 

 ing visited a rookery at night, I w T as desirous of knowing 

 how the birds would conduct themselves when disturbed by 

 an intruder after they had retired to rest, and accordingly 

 went this evening, the 14th April, to that at Prestonfield, in 

 my neighbourhood. When about four hundred yards from 

 it I stopped to listen, and was surprised to hear several rooks 

 uttering a variety of soft, clear, modulated notes, very unlike 

 their usual cry. In the intervals I could distinguish the 

 faint shrill voice of the newly-hatched young, which their 

 mothers, I felt persuaded, were fondling and coaxing in this 

 manner. Indeed the sounds were plainly expressive of affec- 

 tion and a desire to please. Presently all became still, and I ad- 

 vanced until I could perceive the male birds perched on the 

 twigs in great numbers. They had no doubt observed me, and a 

 few seemed ready to fly off, but it was not until a loud croak 

 from a distance, several times repeated, gave warning to the 

 whole community, that they did so. As I proceeded, all the 

 males removed, and ultimately, I believe, the females also ; 

 but with much less clamour than they would have used had 

 it been day, most of them remaining mute, several uttering 

 a kind of low grunt, expressive of dissatisfaction, others a 

 sort of panting noise, indicative of fear, and only a few croak- 

 ing aloud in anger. I believe the whole colony was on wing, 

 and wheeling over the trees, the young remaining perfectly 

 mute. As I moved along, I heard those whose nests were 

 behind settling in succession on the twigs, and before I had 

 retired to the distance of four hundred yards they all seemed 

 to have returned. Their flight on this occasion was singu- 

 larly wavering, undulatory, and undecided, and the strong- 

 flappings of their wings were distinctly heard, it being a calm 



