20 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



North of the Moray Firth, the Starling is included 

 without remark in Kincardine parish (" New Statistical 

 Account," vol. xiv. (1845), p. 405), and in Edderton parish, 

 as also in Rosskeen. 



It would appear therefore that localities inside the Moray 

 Firth became populated by the species at an earlier date 

 than " Dee," or anywhere outside the Moray Firth to the 

 south upon the Aberdeenshire coast. 



WEST Ross. 



According to our accepted authorities for West Ross, 

 Messrs. Hinxman and Eagle Clarke, the status of the 

 Starling in West Ross is as follows : " Very local, but seems 

 to be rapidly spreading. Has only appeared in some districts 

 during the last few years. Not known at Shieldaig prior to 

 i 890. Five or six pairs were observed nesting in the cliffs 

 of Eilean Mhor, Outer Loch Torridon, in June 1892. Said 

 to have come to Applecross about the year 1883. Reported 

 common in Fisherfield, especially as flocks, in the autumn. 

 Resident." Besides the above, Mr. J. H. Dixon (1886) 

 includes it as " very common in places. ... In the island of 

 Foura, at the mouth of Loch Ewe, it uses holes in the ground 

 for its nest, along with the Stormy Petrel." We find also 

 from our journals in the same year (1886) that a few 

 Starlings were observed by us on Priest Island in June. 



According to Rev. H. A. Macpherson, the Starling is 

 resident (also 1886) in Skye. " In \^^ great (sic) numbers 

 arrived in the drab nest-dress, in the Hamar plantations, on 

 23rd and 24th June." In the Birds of Skye, and especially 

 of the parish of Duirinish, Buckley includes the Starling as 

 among the birds of North-West Ross-shire, applying more 

 particularly to the Loch Carron district (MS. list and notes in 

 our possession). We would still desire fuller particulars and 

 dates from especially early times, if we are to arrive at the 

 directions whence came the Starling into West Ross. It 

 does not seem as if they came from the Outer Hebrides 

 through Skye, but rather down the west coast of the main- 

 land (see Sutherland). 



