THE INTRODUCTION OF GROUSE TO THE TEXTSMUIR 197 



interested in the occurrence of the Hawfinch at Arniston. 

 It is undoubtedly a very uncommon bird in any part of 

 Scotland. Writing from memory, and away from my notes 

 I can only call to mind t\vo definite records of its occurrence 

 in the east of Scotland. Saxby mentions, in the ' Zoologist,' 

 I think, having seen several in the hands of bird-catchers in 

 Edinburgh, which were said to have been captured in the 

 neighbourhood of the city ; and there is a specimen in the 

 Perth Museum which was shot near Murthly by Professor 

 M'Intosh. Both records are now of a good many years' 

 standing." 



ON THE INTRODUCTION OF GROUSE TO THE 

 'TENTSMUIR IN FIFE. 



By WILLIAM BERRY, B.A., LL.B. 



IN the "Zoologist" for February of this year, a short account is 

 given of what promises to be a successful attempt to intro- 

 duce our Scotch Grouse into Northern Germany : a record 



j 



of the introduction of this bird to the Tentsmuir in Fife, 

 where, though formerly unknown, it has successfully estab- 

 lished itself and is now quite at home, may not be without 

 interest. 



The Tentsmuir is a large tract of barren moorland, flat 

 as the sea, which borders it along its entire length. It 

 extends from the Firth of Tay on the north, to the estuary 

 of the Eden, near Leuchars, on the south ; its length being 

 approximately five, and its average breadth two, miles. The 

 elevation above sea-level of the whole of this area is quite 

 inconsiderable perhaps eight or ten feet, or even less ; but 

 it is broken up and partially sheltered from the sweep of 

 the winds by lines or chains of sandhills, which rise to the 

 height of thirty or forty feet, and trend, speaking generally, 

 in the direction from east to west ; a similar chain forms a 

 continuous rampart along the sea-shore. The soil, if such it 

 can be called, is simply blown sand, only anchored in its 

 present position by the vegetation which has somehow 

 established itself as a skin upon the surface : indeed, a 



