270 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



river Findhorn early in July, and fed in the Buckie Loch. If 

 disturbed they generally made out to the sea. One, a female, was 

 shot on 6th July by a salmon-fisher there, and sent to me to be 

 preserved. I have been inquiring after the birds but as no one 

 has seen them for some weeks I expect they have left our coast. — 

 James Brown, Forres. 



[There appears to have been an undoubted westerly migration 

 of this species to the British shores in the past summer ; since 

 the bird has been recorded from Cumberland, Lincolnshire, 

 Suffolk, Hampshire, and several localities in Ireland. — Eds.] 



Wild Swans (Cygnus musicus, Bechstein) in Tiree. — Mr. Peter 

 Anderson, gamekeeper in Tiree, whose knowledge of the birds of 

 that island I consider to be very perfect indeed — has written to me 

 regarding the increase of the Wild Swans on the lochs of that island. 

 This has been due to the steadfast determination of the proprietor, 

 His Grace the Duke of Argyll, to prevent all molestation of the 

 noble birds, a clause being inserted in leases to the shootings, pro- 

 viding for their strict preservation. Mr. Anderson writes : — "The 

 number that come here have certainly increased greatly since I came 

 in 1886. I did not notice the increase much until 1889-90, when 

 there would be over 80 swans on the island at one time, and in 

 1890-91 there would be over 150 here at one time, while last year 

 (his letter is dated July 29th, 1892) there were quite as many if not 

 more. They feed on all the lochs more or less except Loch 

 Vassapol, which they seldom stay on. They are more partial to 

 Loch Balephriel and Loch Riaghar than any of the others. I have 

 also seen them in Gott Bay during hard frost. They usually arrive 

 here about the middle of November and leave the beginning of 

 March. A young whooper came here last winter. It stayed alone 

 all winter and has continued here all summer, at least it was still 

 here about a week ago, when I saw it last. It seemed to be strong 

 enough on the wing, but I suppose it must have some weakness." 

 In a forthcoming volume of the " Vertebrate Fauna of Argyll and 

 the Inner Hebrides," a sentence at page 123 is somewhat affected 

 by the above notes by Mr. Anderson. From notes received from 

 Captain Savile G. Reid and Colonel Irby, it would appear that " in 

 Tiree their favourite haunts are Loch Vassapol and Loch Riaghar," 

 and they add : — "Those frequenting the former were almost cer- 

 tainly Wild Swans of the larger size, but those on the latter were 

 almost as certainly C. beiuicki." The above notes by Mr. P. 

 Anderson were received too late for insertion in the volume, and 

 we take this opportunity of inserting them in the " Annals." — J. A. 

 Harvie-Brown. 



The Introduction of Dace into Linlithgow Loch, and of 

 Grayling into Cobbinshaw Loeh. — About a year ago I observed a 

 quantity of Dace (Leiiciscus vulgaris) exposed for sale in the shop of 



