12 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



left the sound trees alone. 1 In the first volume of the 1st 

 Series of the " Prize Essays and Transactions of the Highland 

 Society," p. 185, it is mentioned that, at that date, 1799, 

 remains of the old forests were " not unfrequent in the upper 

 parts of Argyllshire, and also in the North Highlands, as at 

 Braemar and the head of the River Dee." But on Deeside 

 80,000 trees are stated to have been swept down, in the 

 neighbourhood of the Linns of Dee. (" The Braemar High- 

 lands," p. 1 5, by Elizabeth Taylor, Edin., 1 873.) The Stuarts 

 give evidence in their " Lays of the Deer Forest " (Joe. 

 cit. p. 221) of vast stretches of forest growth of firs and oaks 

 in Lochaber and Glen Treig, and in Strathfarrar, " where 

 twelve miles of pine, birch, and oak were burned to improve 

 the sheep pasture," — and in Tarnaway of " aboriginal pines 

 . . . oaks . . . and hollies . . . which latter were not exceeded, 

 perhaps not equalled in Great Britain" (Joe. cit. p. 257). 

 But we must get on to more recent times. Even at the less 

 remote date of 1864, shortly after the present line of the 

 " Highland Railway " was opened, a large extent of the 

 central plain of the Rothiemurchus Forest underwent com- 

 plete denudation of its timber-growth, leaving to this day the 

 black and charred stumps of many goodly pines. These 

 were cut to supply demand, and the ground has since been 

 burned, to prepare it, it is hoped, for replanting. Some of 

 the other large areas have been more mercifully, and we 

 think more wisely treated, annual income being secured by 

 annual thinning out ; thus at the same time preserving the 

 wooded appearance and beauty of the landscape, and pro- 

 viding for the future crop by native seed, shed by the 

 remaining trees. Such a system is followed throughout the 

 whole area still occupied by old pine-forest on the extensive 

 Speyside estates of the Countess of Seafield, and extending 

 through Glenmore belonging to the Duke of Richmond and 

 Gordon, and to the old wood of The Crannich at Carr-bridge, 

 not to speak of other areas on Findhorn, and others north 

 of the line of the Great Glen. 



Of the re-afforesting by younger growth, the history is 



1 This proves one cause — by fire alone, — just at a time when the disappearance 

 of the bird is said to have taken place. The said Rory Macdonald gave evidence 

 also that the birds were common previous to 185 1. (Compare the dates with 

 those already given.) 



