Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 2 (1878).djvu/476

452 disappearance of Sky Larks was "without doubt" caused by Starlings destroying their eggs, I was more guided by the opinion of others having better opportunities for observation than myself, than by my own con- victions. From whatever cause it may be, it is certain that Sky Larks have almost entirely disappeared, not only in the parish of Troqueer (wrongly spelt last month), but everywhere within a circuit of about six miles from Dumfries — that is, in both the counties of Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire, Dumfries being situated on the River Nith, which divides the two counties. In numerous other places is the same complaint heard. The causes that have thinned the flocks of other of our native birds do not operate in the case of the Lark. Birdcatchers do not take them in our locality to any appreciable extent, gamekeepers and farmers have no antipathy to them, reclamation of the wilder parts of the district does not seem to drive them off; and they are not specially the victims of any of the birds of prey, for Merlins are very rare with us ; so that it is difficult to assign any reason for their great decrease, if the Starlings are not the authors of the mischief. The search for food leads the Starlings into the places frequented by Larks, and when there, from what I have seen of their evil propensities, I believe they will not hesitate to destroy every nest they fall in with. In several instances I have seen them breaking the eggs and tearing up the nests of House Sparrows which had built in ivy-covered trees, sheer malice apparently being the only incentive. I have also seen — and indeed this is a common complaint in the district — Starlings enter the pigeon-boxes and destroy the eggs of the Pigeons, and I have also seen them pull out the newly-hatched young birds and drop them to the ground, all the while chattering with glee, and seemingly taking a deal of pleasure in perpetrating these atrocities. It is very remarkable, and I am afraid more than a mere coincidence, that as the Starlings have increased and multiplied so the Larks have disappeared, and it is, I think, reasonable enough to connect the Starlings in some way with the absence of Larks. I observe Mr. R. Gray is of the same opinion, for in the ' Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Glasgow' (vol. i., part i., p. 13), he mentions that " Starlings have become destructive to the Sky Lark and other birds building on the ground, the nests of which are rifled of their contents, even when the eggs are newly hatched, as has been repeatedly observed by trustworthy observers." — (Max- welltown, N.B.).

[Were the scarcity or absence of Larks observable only at this particular season, it might be accounted for by the fact that Larks not only flock, but migrate southward at the approach of cold weather. Certain districts in North Britain might thus be entirely deserted by these birds in winter. — ]