74 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Forfar. In 1900 Mr James Davidson found Great Crested 

 Grebes nesting on Loch Fithie. Mr Henry Boase has kindly informed 

 us that, in 1912, he found the species breeding at Redmyre Loch 

 and Lundie Lochs. Referring to the former, he writes : " It was 

 in that year (191 2) that a nest of the Great Crested Grebe was 

 found, with four eggs, on the 4th of May, at Redmyre ; but it is 

 probable these eggs did not hatch. In the following year a nest 

 with five eggs was found on 24th May, and apparently these did 

 not hatch either. In 19 14, although this bird appeared as usual at 

 the loch, no nest could be found, nor were young seen later in the 

 season. In 19 15 none were seen at Redmyre at the usual time in 

 May. In 191 6 a nest with three eggs was located on 29th April, 

 and apparently these hatched out, as one young bird was seen with 

 an adult on ist July. A nest with three eggs was located at 

 Redmyre on 19th May 191 7, but no young were seen later in the 

 season. In 19 18 while the display of a pair was watched at 

 Redmyre on 15th April, nesting did not follow; both birds had 

 gone by 25th May. It has always surprised me that the Grebe 

 should so often have failed to bring up young at Redmyre, and 

 it strikes me that the explanation may be as follows. Judging by 

 what I have seen, the Great Crested Grebe seems to build in such 

 a position as will enable it to approach the nest under water. Now 

 Redmyre Loch is very exposed and has a well-marked fluctuation 

 of water-level. Consequently a nest, built in comparatively deep 

 water, may in a week or two be left high and dry, as indeed 

 happened in 191 7. This would most certainly cause the abandon- 

 ment of the nest, and it is worth remembering that in 19 16, 

 when the eggs were hatched, the spring and early summer were 

 abnormally wet." 



Information is wanted from lochs east of Forfar. 



Perth. In Perthshire is the oldest known breeding place of the 

 Great Crested Grebe in Scotland. Lieut.-Commander J. G. Millais 

 writes as follows : " The first place I remember seeing them in 

 Perthshire, in the year 1877, was the Loch o' the Lowes, and they 

 and the Tufted Duck seem to have arrived and bred about this 

 date; very shortly afterwards I saw a pair on Dupplin Loch." In 

 1904 two nests were found at Snaigow near Murthly, and next 

 year a fresh locality was occupied near Dunkeld {Fauna of the 

 Tay Basin and Strathmore, p. 352); there is a breeding place on 

 Drummond Castle Loch, of which we have not been able to 

 discover the first date of colonisation ; and Mr Henry Boase 

 informs us that in 191 2 he found them breeding on Marlee 

 Loch. 



