Willow Wren.-On the 29th the gale suddenly changed to S.E. with heavy rain, and while it was at its height I saw a willow wren fly over the south wall of the garden and hastily alight among some bushes: evidently it had been long upon the wing, for it was so exhausted that I might have caught it in my hat, had I been so inclined.

Baltasound, Shetland, October 31, 1865.

HENRY L. SAXBY.

A List of Birds observed in the two adjoining Parishes of Dunipace and Larbert, in Stirlingshire. By J. A. HARVIE BROWN, Esq.

Merlin. I have shot two specimens of this pretty little hawk, and have seen many more, although it is the least common of the three mentioned in this list. I have risen this bird more than once from heather during the breeding-season, but hitherto have always failed in finding its nest, though I am thoroughly convinced that a few breed in this parish (Dunipace). The merlin is generally known here as the "small blue hawk."

Kestrel.-Local name, the "red hawk." The kestrel is our commonest hawk, and breeds around this neighbourhood every year, in spite of persecutions from the gamekeepers, &c. Breeds regularly in the ruins of Torwood Castle.

Sparrowhawk.-Local name, the "blue hawk." Not so common as the last species, but breeds regularly with us.

Longeared Owl.-Common. Breeds frequently, but not, I think, regularly.

Barn Owl.-Not quite so common as the last-mentioned species. I have only found the nest myself once in these parishes, but I believe that a pair breed regularly in some part of the ruins of an old bleachfield near this. I hear them crying very frequently during the night.

Tawny Owl.-Local. Breeds in Torwood Forest. I have seen a few in Dunipace.

Great Gray Shrike.-Local name, "butcher bird." I have one specimen in my collection, which was shot in Dunipace parish, about seven years ago: it was stuffed by a man in the village, evidently with clay or stucco, by its weight, and spoiled accordingly. In October, 1860, I pursued a very fine great gray shrike for some time; I had no gun with me, or I should easily have secured it, as it was exceedingly

tame: at last it flew to some woods across the river, where I could not follow. These two instances of the appearance of the great gray shrike in this parish are the only two I know of, although many of the country people seem to know the "butcher bird" perfectly by name. Spotted Flycatcher.-Very abundant. It arrives here much earlier than any of the other migratory birds.

Dipper.-Local name, the "water crow." Very common along the water-side. I have found as many as three nests containing eggs in one day. One pair of dippers rear their young almost every season under the arch of a bridge which spans the river close to our house; its nest is placed in a hole at least a yard into the masonry. The local anglers here have a great aversion to the "water crow," as they believe that it destroys the trout ova, and accordingly they destroy in turn every nest and eggs they come to; and this is not as regards the dipper alone, for they treat the nest and eggs of the common sandpiper in the same barbarous fashion. It is of no use attempting to prove to them that they are wrong, for they will only shake their heads and say, "May be, may be," and destroy, perhaps purely from habit, the next nest they come to.

Missel Thrush.-Called here, in common with the fieldfare, the "field-flyer" or "feltiflyer."

Fieldfare.-Arrives here about the end of October in large flocks, and some seasons remain as late as the middle and end of April. Song Thrush.-Local name, "mavis."

Redwing, Blackbird, Robin.

Redstart.-Local name, "redtail." Arrives in different seasons, according to my notes from the 20th of April to the 20th of May. Hedgesparrow.-Local name, "blue sparrow."

Stonechat.-Local name, 66 stone chacker." Not so common as the

whinchat.

Whinchat.

Wheatear.-Common, but local, frequenting large stony fields and

moors.

Sedge Warbler-Sometimes called the "Scotch nightingale." Very abundant. I once took eighteen nests in one day from a piece of marshy ground, over-grown with alder-bushes and bramble, which does not cover more than four acres.

Blackcap. Also called "Scotch nightingale." Not very common, but breeds regularly.

Whitethroat.

Wood Warbler.-Local names, "white wren" and "smeuth." I found two nests and eggs in the spring of 1863.

Willow Warbler.-Local names in common with the last species.
Goldencrested Regulus.-Local name, "golden wren."
Great Tit.-Local name, "ox-eye."

Blue Tit.-Local name, "blue bonnet."
Cole Tit.-Local name, "coaly head."

Marsh Tit. Very scarce.

one of which I killed.

Longtailed Tit.

I have only seen three marsh tits here,

Pied Wagtail.-Local name, water wagtail."

Gray Wagtail.--Not very plentiful.

Tree Pipit.-Local name, "titlark."

Meadow Pipit.

Sky Lark. Local name, "laverock."

Wood Lark. I have only taken one nest and eggs of this bird here, but nevertheless I believe it breeds regularly with us.

Blackheaded Bunting.-Local name, "coaly head."

Yellow Bunting.-Local name, "yite."

Chaffinch. Local name, "shilfie."

Brambling.-Local name, "storm cock."

Never seems to come

here in any great numbers. In the winter of 1859-60, when such large flocks came to the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, I only observed three specimens here. In the spring of 1861 I saw a pair of bramblings; they allowed myself and a friend to approach within five yards of them, so we had a good view. We searched long, but vainly, for the nest, and all the time the birds, and especially the female, kept flying around us in an agitated, uneasy manner.

House Sparrow.

Greenfinch.-Local name, "green linnet."

Siskin. I have never shot or secured a specimen here, but have seen a few frequenting some alder-bushes in winter.

I knew of one

Goldfinch.-Local name, "goldie." Very scarce. pair breeding here about three years ago, but lately they have disappeared.

Linnet.-Local name, "rose linnet" or "lintie."

Redpole.-Small flocks in some winters hang about the alder-bushes. Bullfinch.

Crossbill.-I have never seen the crossbill here myself, but am told on reliable authority that one year they came in considerable numbers.

Starling.

Crow. Not so abundant as formerly, being kept down, along with the following species, by gamekeepers.

Hooded Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Magpie.

Jay. Very scarce. I knew one nest of young jays in 1862, but they were all destroyed, along with the old birds, by gamekeepers. Creeper, Wren.

Cuckoo.--Arrives with great regularity about the first week of May, and occasionally as early as the middle of April.

Kingfisher.-Local name, "king's fisher." I have repeatedly watched over the breeding-haunts of this beautiful bird, and on two occasions have helped myself to their eggs. One nest I knew was destroyed, along with the parent bird, by the sand-bank in which it was placed slipping down and burying all in a premature grave (Zool. 8954).

Swallow. In seven years in which I have noted the arrival of the migratory birds I find the swallow stands as follows:-In 1859, on the 22nd of April; in 1860, on the 24th of April; in 1861, on the 12th of April; in 1862, on the 22nd of April; in 1863, on the 18th of April; in 1864, on the 14th of April; and in 1865, on the 10th of April. Martin. Not numerous, and every year seeming to become less so. Sand Martin.

Swift.-Local names, "cran" and "bleak martin."

Nightjar.-Not a very abundant, but a very regular, visitor.
Ring Dove.-Local name, " cushie-doo."

"cushie-doo."

late as the 30th of September (Zool. 9113). Pheasant.

I have taken the eggs as

Black Grouse.-In very small numbers.
Red Grouse.-Not abundant: I only know of one spot actually in
the parish, where there are perhaps two or three coveys every year.
Partridge.

Golden Plover.-Large flocks attend the ploughed fields in winter, as also the ground occupied by the Falkirk fair or "tryst" at Stennismuir.

Ringed Plover.-I have every reason to believe that this bird breeds in small numbers around Loch Koutre or Colter, as I see them there every spring I go, in company, or at any rate seeming to mingle with the dunlins.

Lapwing.-Local name, "peewit."

Heron. A few frequent the river every year.

Bittern. I have seen one stuffed specimen, in a very dilapidated

state, belonging to a man in the village, and which was shot about ten years ago by a man who now occupies the position of gamekeeper on our ground, and on whom I can rely for most information, as he knows something about birds, which cannot be said of most gamekeepers. Curlew.-Local name, "whaup."

Whimbrel.-In August, 1860, I killed two specimens of the whimbrel, after a long and somewhat difficult stalk along the bed of a stream. There was a flock or family party of five. A few days afterwards a flock of seven passed over just out of range, and those are the only whimbrels I have ever seen here.

Redshank.-Local.

Loch Colter.

Breeds in small numbers on the shores of

Common Sandpiper.-Local names, "sand lark" or sandy laverock," and "the deacon." The origin of this last name I have tried to discover, but no one seems to be able to assign any reason for it. This bird arrives on our river with great regularity. The five years in which I have taken note of its arrival gives the following dates :-In 1861 it arrived on the 29th of April; in 1862, on the 22nd of April; in 1863, on the 23rd of April; in 1864, on the 12th of April; and in 1865, also on the 12th of April. I have on several occasions seen this bird dive and remain a long time under water, when wounded.

Woodcock. Has bred here, to my own certain knowledge, every year since 1861, included, in greater or less numbers. In 1861, on the 25th of April, I took four eggs, which were in a far-advanced stage of incubation, as the young birds were already covered with down.

Common Snipe.-Considerable numbers come here in winter, as also in the end of July or beginning of August. They breed also in several localities.

Jack Snipe.-A few arrive on our marshes every winter.
Dunlin.-Local name, "pickerell."

around Loch Colter.

Breeds in limited numbers

Land Rail.-Local name, "corn craig." These birds I have frequently killed by imitating their harsh cry, which imitation often allures them to within a few feet of where I stand.

Moorhen.

Water Rail.-Last winter, 1864-65, I procured in this neighbourhood three specimens of the water rail. I am told, on reliable authority, that none had been seen for more than ten years. One of these three specimens was caught on the public road in an exhausted state (Zool. 9468).