VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF SUTHERLAND AND CAITHNESS 159 



AVES. 



Ruticilla phcenieurus, L. REDSTART. Rather irregular in its 

 appearance; not one was seen about Brora in 1890. The 

 species does not seem to increase as one would be led to 

 expect ; it appears to be most partial to old birch woods, where 

 it can find convenient holes for nesting in. 



Sylvia rufa, Bodd. WHITETHROAT. Like the Redstart, does not 

 appear to increase much, but we had a nest sent us from Brora 

 in 1890. 



Sylvia atrieapilla, L. BLACKCAP. A female was shot at Kintrad- 

 well on 2ist November 1889 by Mr. Houstoun and sent us 

 for preservation ; it was feeding on the berries of a Cotoneaster, 

 and was seen for several days in company with some Tits. 

 The female seems to be much less often obtained up in the 

 north than the male. 



Phylloseopus sibilatrix, Beclist. WOOD WREN. Booth says that 

 the Wood Warbler is not uncommon near Berriedale. 



Aeroeephalus sehoenobsenus, L. SEDGE WARBLER. Mr. L. 

 Hinxman reports a nest and eggs of this species from Duart- 

 more, Assynt, in 1887. Captain S. G. Reid also gives Loch 

 Laoghal as a locality for this Warbler in 1886. 



Aeredula rosea, Blyth. LONGTAILED TIT. A correspondent 

 sends us word that for some time back he has been unable to 

 find their nests in a wood near Brora where once they were 

 common. Long-tailed Tits were first seen at Badenloch in 

 November 1890. 



Parus ater, L. COLE TIT. First seen at Badenloch in November 



1890. 



Anthus trivialis, L. TREE PIPIT. Breeds not uncommonly 

 about Brora, and we have had several eggs sent us from that 

 locality. Like other summer migrants they are variable in 

 putting in an appearance. 



Museieapa grisola, L. SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. Mr. L. Dunbar in 

 a letter to Harvie-Brown, dated 2ist August 1886, reports two 

 Spotted Flycatchers at Thurso in June of that year. 



Hirundo rustiea, L. SWALLOW. No swallows appeared about 

 Brora in the season of 1890. In any case these birds are not 

 common anywhere in Sutherland, though a pair or two can be 

 found in certain localities. 



Chelidon urbiea, L. HOUSE MARTIN. We have been informed 

 by Mr. James Hill of Helmsdale, that numbers of House Martins 

 build annually in a large cave which is underneath the 

 " Green Table," half way between Navidale and the Ord. All 



