260 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



maximum of their altitudinal nesting range in our islands. 

 In the spring of 191 7 I thoroughly explored this wood in 

 order to ascertain the greatest height at which each species 

 was breeding. 



The feathered summer visitors seeking this wood are the 

 Song-Thrush, Redbreast, Redstart, Willow-Warbler, Wood- 

 Warbler, Tree-Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Cuckoo, Sparrow- 

 Hawk, and Woodcock. The Chaffinch is also chiefly a 

 summer bird. The resident species are the *Hooded 

 Crow, *Great Titmouse, *Blue Titmouse, *Cole Titmouse, 

 *Wren, *Creeper, *Chaffinch (less numerous in winter), 

 *Lesser Redpoll, ^'Bullfinch, *Long-eared Owl, *Tawny 

 Owl, *Red Grouse, and *Black Grouse. 



The rest of the wooded area, some 400 acres in extent, 

 may be described as plantations at various stages of growth. 

 These have been systematically planted during the past 

 twenty-five years, and consist mainly of Conifers, with here 

 and there small plantings of birch, rowans, sycamores, 

 Norway maple, and ash. Although pine woods are as a 

 rule less interesting from the zoologist's point of view, since 

 with few occasional exceptions they are less suited to 

 the requirements of animal life generally, to the arbori- 

 culturalist the Corrour plantations are of extreme interest 

 and importance. Sir John Stirling Maxwell is an expert 

 in all that relates to afforestation, and the experimental 

 work he has long been engaged in at Corrour is of great 

 national importance, since its main object is to discover if 

 (and what) trees will flourish on rough land which is incapable 

 of other productivity. To this end he has planted numerous 

 Conifers from widely scattered habitats in foreign lands. 



The birds which have taken up their abode in these 

 plantations are the Song -Thrush, *Blackbird, Willow- 

 Warbler, *Hedge-Accentor, *Wren, *Chaffinch, *Lesser Red- 

 poll, and *Bullfinch, but the numbers of the colonists are, 

 as yet, few. In due time, no doubt, other birds will become 

 colonists, such as the Crossbill and Goldcrest, for which 

 pine woods have special attractions ; for the first-mentioned 

 species, indeed, they are essential. 



Two birds, both of them summer visitors to this portion 



