i8 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



about Glasgow before they became so plentiful here." He 

 thinks the first nest was obtained between the years 1832 

 and 1842. The greatest increase has taken place within 

 the ten years previous to 1891 (say 1881). They roost 

 in " millions " among the tall reeds of the river Tay, about 

 half a mile from Errol, and gather in thousands on the village 

 church spire. Dr. Robertson goes on to say : " I have 

 watched their increase with the greatest interest, and I have 

 very good opportunities of doing so while attending to my 

 practice through the Carse of Gowrie." 



At Seggieden, on the south slope of the Sidlaw Hills, and 

 nearer to Perth, Colonel Drummond-Hay gives exactly similar 

 evidence. They began to be apparent in increase about 

 1882. Thousands frequent Mugdrum Island on the Tay, 

 and north of Dundee decided increase has taken place in 

 the last five or six years (Auct. R. V. Kerr, Sec. Nat. Hist. 

 Soc. Dundee) ; and they apparently came from the south. At 

 Sunnyside, Montrose, Dr. James Howden reports : " Marked 

 increase during the last thirty-five years. No note of earliest 

 appearances or nest. Along the coast-line up into Kincar- 

 dineshire they collect in the autumn in thousands, as at the 

 Den of Benholm and many other wooded " dens " or " denes." 

 Mr. Atherstone, an old sportsman, tells Dr. Howden that the 

 first he shot was in 1854. " Before this I used to pay four- 

 pence a pair for their wings for trout-flies." In the Blair- 

 gowrie district it has rapidly increased, and roosts in 

 thousands (" countless numbers ") in the reeds of the Rae 

 Loch; but about 1841 the bird was almost, if not quite, 

 unknown. Half-a-crown was freely given for young ones 

 from the nest. 



Continuing up the Tay valley from Perth, Mr. Adam 

 Steel notes the increase within the last sixteen years. The 

 first nest was found about 1870 or 1871. 



In " Dee," as we are informed by Mr. George Sim, 

 the Starling was only an occasional visitor at the more 

 remote localities, or a regular spring visitor or bird of passage, 

 at the date of the " New Statistical Account." At Tarland 

 Mr. Sim personally observed it every spring as a passing 

 migrant prior even to 1860; but none remained to breed 

 until about 1859-60; since when, however, they have 



