io ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



down of the pine trees on the latter estate. The two estates 

 adjoined at the time we speak of, and the Scoltie Hill 

 heronry was placed close up to the march which separates 

 the two properties. This would be about the years 1863 to 

 1865, when the writer of this note and a friend took eggs 

 there. It would be, I think, about three years later, say 

 1866 to 1869, when the wood was cut, and the birds 

 decamped across the march and took up their new abode in 

 Blackball. 



I remember hearing of the " traditionary site " near 

 Huntly, and others. 



There is one quite flourishing heronry about five miles 

 up the river Deveron, above Turriff, placed in very dense- 

 growing spruce fir trees, on the Netherdale property. A 

 peculiarity about this heronry is the very diminutive size of 

 the eggs of the birds. I forget whether I have actual 

 measurements, but when a young friend of mine took eggs 

 on more than one occasion, both his father and myself 

 were greatly struck with their very small size. The birds 

 old and young were constantly to be seen wading in the 

 shallows of the river Deveron, especially at the time of the 

 descent of the sea-trout " finnochs " and smolts, and the 

 ascent of the Elvers or young eels. This occurred with great 

 regularity every year during the six years we fished that part 

 of the river Deveron, and was most noticeable after the I2th 

 and 1 4th May. J. A. H.-B.] 



THE GIANT PIKE OF LOCH KEN. 

 By C. TATE REGAN, M.A. 



THE size attained by any species of fresh-water fish varies 

 greatly according to locality, the factors of chief importance 

 being probably the quality and amount of the food and the 

 number of fish. When circumstances are favourable, that 

 is, when food of the best sort is abundant and the fish 

 which require it are not too numerous, a size may frequently 

 be reached which may be called the normal maximum for 

 the species, when it seems probable that growth ceases 



