ON THE MINOR FAUNAL AREAS 11 



" Shetland " are examples of the latter ; whilst another group 

 is indicated from their somewhat more general geographical 

 position, independent of their great watersheds and in- 

 cluding these --such as "Moray," "Sutherland," "West 

 Ross," or " Argyll." 



The definitions in the case of those which contain the 

 drainage areas of one great river and its tributaries are 

 skylines and watersheds, over higher or lower cols or 

 passes. " Dee " is an example of a higher, and " Forth " 

 and " Clyde " examples of the lower. Those which are 

 most useful as aids in the study of migration and dispersal 

 are of the former group, because their areas are more easily 

 described and mapped. Insular areas are easily studied, 

 and their peculiarities or influences if such exist are most 

 easily traced. The larger areas, which contain within their 

 boundaries many minor river valleys and much rugged 

 ground of different altitudes and varying characters, are less 

 easy to define and map out. " West Ross " and " Argyll " are 

 examples of such, and therefore present divisions laid down 

 between these for convenience in treatment of details may be 

 considered somewhat arbitrary, such as the division between 

 " West Ross " and " Argyll." But, on the other hand, " Moray," 

 though very extensive and embracing the basins of many 

 large rivers, the Deveron, the Spey, the Findhorn, the Ness, 

 the Beauly, the Conon, and their tributaries, is nevertheless 

 a clearly defined area, enclosed by an encircling rim of the 

 highest mountains of the country, tvhence all these streams 

 descend, and which rim encircles all their sources ; and this 

 area is also well defined by a deeply indented coastline and 

 basin, into which all these rivers flow, between sharply 

 prominent and embracing arms or headlands of the coast. 



Having thus endeavoured to give our reasons for the 

 belief that is within us, we pass on to the next point in our 

 inquiry. 



Within our areas we must pay minute attention to the 

 Faunal Value of each of the inhabitants that is, we must 

 catalogue all British species which occupy or visit each. 

 This is being done with the object in view of comparing 

 their numbers, their increase or decrease, their seasons of 

 arrival and departure, their dates of first appearance, their 



