158 



BIRDS. 



remarked that the Swift appeared in most unusual numbers, both far 

 up the western glens, even nearly to the uttermost recesses, and to 

 the other more lowland haunts in the plains and in the towns and 

 villages. I have never seen so many anywhere in Scotland. 



The Rev. Mr. M'Connochie relates that on one occasion he 

 watched quite a number of Swifts following a reaper round a hay- 

 field and catching the disturbed insects. 



All correspondents agree as to the unusual numbers in the 

 country in 1905, though in the extreme east they did not appear to 

 me to be quite so abundant at the time I was there ; but Mr. Milne 

 wrote me later that they were quite unusually abundant by the end 

 of June. 



In the north-west of Fife, up to date of 1905, it does not appear 

 to have been considered quite so abundant as in other parts. Mr. 

 W. Berwick seems to consider it as "rare," or at least "not very 

 common," but "a number always found at St. Andrews old castle." 



Family CAPRIMULGID.^. 



Caprimulgus europaeus, L. Nightjar. 



Summer visitant. Fairly common. Breeds. 



There is an early dated one, April 1845, in the Montrose Museum. 

 It does not appear to be considered at all common in the east of 

 Strathmore, or at least in Forfarshire within the ten-mile radius, 

 which Mr. Milne is my authority for around Auchenblae — "not," 

 Mr. Milne says, " within his recollection." He instances, however, 

 localities where he has known the nest to have been found, such as 

 the woods on the side of Strathfinella, etc. 



Mr. George Bruce speaks of it as more abundant formerly. He 

 says : " Fifty years ago it used to frequent Priorsmuir, Kinglassie, 

 and Tents Muir," but he continues, "I had not got the eggs for 

 many years " (writing in 1895) ; and further he states his belief that 

 "it has almost disappeared from the St. Andrews district." He 

 relates that " the last I got was a fine male shot at Cambo on the 

 14th August 1857, and I had another in May of the same year also 

 from Cambo." Further inquiries, however, do not suggest ideas of 

 greater scarcity in recent years. 



In the north-east, as early as 1849, there is an entry in the MS. 

 catalogue of the collection of the late Mr. Macgillivray (in my 



