INCREASE AND DECREASE OF BIRDS IN TAY AREA 201 



THE SHOVELLER 1 (Spatula dypeatd}. - - In 1879-80 

 Colonel Drummond-Hay states: "There are a few instances 

 of the Shoveller being shot in the spring at long intervals." 

 (" Scottish Naturalist," vol. v. p. 339). Mr. Marshall, Stanley 

 (p. 261 of the same vol.), reports that a specimen was shot 

 at Ballathie, and says it is "a very rare duck with us." The 

 first nest and eggs recorded were presented to the Museum 

 of the Perthshire Society of Natural Science by Sir John 

 Millais in 1890. They came from Murthly, where this 

 species is comparatively common now. I was not aware 

 till this year that its range had extended to the Black 

 Mount, from which place I had specimens sent me ; and as 

 it has evidently got a foothold, it will doubtless spread, as 

 the other species have done, over the whole district, that is 

 to say, if allowed to. 



The last species which I shall mention, the STOCK DOVE 

 (Coluinba cenas], made its first recorded appearance, I 

 believe, at Blairhoyle, near Callander, in iS/S;' 2 then at 

 Cardean, near Dunkeld, in 1879; in the neighbourhood of 

 Alyth, 1885 ; Blackpark, Moneydie, 1889. In 1892 a nest 

 and eggs were presented to the Museum of the Perthshire 

 Society of Natural Science by Lord Stormont. 3 They came 

 from Lynedoch. It also breeds at Craighall-Rattray, near 

 Blairgowrie. 



In ' Notes on the Birds of the Tay and its Tributaries,' 

 by Colonel Drummond-Hay (" Scottish Naturalist," vol. v. 



Outer Hebrides, nor of any on the west side of the main watershed of Scotland, 

 though they approach the latter closely on the east side. We do not here 

 speak of the extension since these earlier dates. J. A. HARVIE-BROWN. 



1 I have considerable material relating to the increase of this species in 

 Scotland, but as yet not arranged, nor easily available. I fancy it would, at this 

 time, be rather difficult to say decidedly that its principal nesting area lies between 

 Forth and Tay, or farther north, or in the Moray basin so rapid has the 

 increase been of late years. It is desirable to record the earliest appearances at 

 as many localities as possible now, although it can scarcely be classed among our 

 rarer Scottish birds. J. A. HARVIE-BROWN. 



2 This locality is within the watershed of " Forth." J. A. HARVIE-BROYVX. 



3 Further data as regards the spread of this species will be found in an article 

 'On the Stock Dove' in the "Roy. Fhys. Soc. Trans.," read 2ist February 

 1883 ; and later accounts as regards their appearance and increase in the east 

 and north-east counties may be gathered from the account of the species in the 

 Faunal Series by Buckley and Harvie-Brown, and in the "Annals of Scottish 

 Natural History " ; and Mr. Evans of Edinburgh, and other naturalists, can give 

 details and earlier records for the south-east and south of Scotland. J. A. 

 HARVIE-BROWX. 



