288 
ORNITHOLOGY OF ST. ANDREWS, 
Scotland, and I have now much pleasure in recording other two instances, 
A pair of these birds built their nest here in the summer of 1835, in the cleft of 
a Beech-tree, about twenty feet from the ground. It was, however, unfortunately 
destroyed after four eggs had been laid. The nest was very like that of the 
Garden Ouzel. The other instance is that of a pair which built last summer in a 
garden in the West of Fife. This nest was built in an Apple-tree, four or five 
feet from the ground. The female displayed a great degree of boldness when on 
her nest. She actually allowed herself to be lifted from her nest (which was 
frequently done), the eggs and nest to be examined, and again replaced, looking 
all the while as if nothing had happened. 
Garden or Common Thrush, Turdus liortensis .—Very abundant. They destroy 
great quantities of almost all kinds of fruit. Strawberries, Gooseberries, Currants, 
Cherries, Apples and Pears, the berries of the Holly, Alder, and Mountain-ash 
being greedily devoured by them. They do not spare the berries of the Mountain- 
ash around the house here so long as they do with you* (British Song Birds , 
page 18), for no sooner are they fully ripe than this bird and the Garden Ouzel 
commence eating them, and in a short time devour the whole. The favourite 
site of the Thrush’s nest here is in evergreen shrubs, young trees, and hedges ; but 
last year I found a nest containing five eggs in a hole on a grassy bank at the 
side of a small stream; this must, however, be considered a very uncommon 
locality for the nest, especially as it was close to a plantation of young trees 
abounding in the ordinary situations that are selected. 
Spring Oatear, Budgies verna. —Common. My observations on this bird agree 
with those of your correspondent Mr. Salmon (Vol. II., page 103), as I have 
found it at all times frequenting the Kinnes-burn. Some of them remain with 
us during the winter, I observed a single individual flying about the streets of 
St. Andrews on the 21st of January this year—one of the most stormy days we 
had during the winter. 
Sky Lark, Alauda arvensis .—Very abundant except during the winter months, 
wffien great numbers of them leave us for the south. Owing to the great quantity 
of snow on the ground during the months of January and February this year, the 
Sky Lark was very late in beginning to sing. The first one I heard singing was 
on the 4th of March, but on the 5th of the same month (which I may say was 
the first spring day we had this season—a gentle wind blowing from the west, 
with bright sunshine) the air resounded the whole day with their song. On the 
same day the Redbreast, Chaffinch, Yellow and Corn Buntings, and the Hedge 
Hunnock, were busily engaged with their respective songs. Last year I heard the 
Lark singing as early as the first of February. I have frequently heard them 
* Our remark chiefly holds good'in districts where the Mounta’n-ash is very abundant.— Ed. 
