202 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



p. 295, I 880), writing of the Stock Dove, he says : " Though 

 exceedingly rare, may perhaps be justly included among the 

 birds of the district, it having been found breeding in the 

 vicinity of Dunkeld." Although it has been claimed as a 

 Perthshire bird for the last twenty years, its distribution 

 seems to be somewhat erratic. Having heard that it had 

 been found breeding in the Crieff district, and knowing also 

 that it nested at Lynedoch, I thought its range might extend 

 through the woods of Methven, Balgowan, and Abercairney 

 to Crieff; but though I have made numerous inquiries, such 

 is not the case. What appears to me to be extraordinary, 

 is that this species should have, during the last twenty years, 

 established itself in the above-named somewhat circumscribed 

 localities, but that though, like all the pigeons, a prolific 

 breeder the breeding area beyond these places has apparently 

 not extended at least to any appreciable extent We 

 know, however, that since it was first recorded, several small 

 colonies have been established where they were unknown 

 before. 



Since writing the above notes, I have heard from Sir James 

 Clerk-Rattray, of Craighall-Rattray, who gives me some most 

 interesting information on the subject, and " has known the 

 Stock Dove there as long as he can remember." " This 

 year there is a nest (at least I conclude so, from seeing the old 

 birds flying out and in) in the precipice under the drawing- 

 room balcony ; and my keeper, who has been here about 

 ten years, says he is confident they are increasing in numbers, 

 as he knows of several nests this year in the banks above the 

 river." It is most extraordinary that this small colony should 

 have existed so long without extending their borders, which, 

 apparently, do not go beyond the cliffs and banks of the 

 Ericht, at Craighall-Rattray. (See article on Stock Dove, 

 Roy. Phys. Soc. Edin., read 2ist February 1883, by J. A. 

 Harvie-Brown.) 



Having given the above instances of the appearance and 

 increase of certain birds, I propose to devote the second part 

 of this paper to the decrease of certain species, and what I 

 believe to be the causes which lead to it. 



Whilst I am glad to say that several birds, thanks to 

 protection, show signs of increasing, there are three species 



