126 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Family: Bovidae. 



4. Gigantic Fossil Ox or Urus. Bos primigenius, Boj. — The 

 Rev. Mr. Macdonald of Fortingal, in his account of that parish in 

 the New Stat. Acct.,* asserts that this species once existed in this 

 district, and quotes the name, Doire-na-bogile, i.e., the thicket of 

 the White Cow. 



According to Boethiusf, writing in 1526, White Cattle existed 

 throughout the Caledonian Forest from Callander to Athole and 

 Lochaber. A very perfect skull of this species was found at Blair- 

 Athole, and is now preserved in the British Museum.^ 



III. — On the Birds of the East of Sutherland. 

 By Mr. Thomas E. Buckley, F.Z.S. 



The following notes on the Birds of the East of Sutherland extend 

 over a period of twelve years, from 1869 to 1880 inclusive, during 

 which time I was either a resident in the county or else paid it long 

 annual visits. My time in the spring was much taken up by salmon- 

 fishing, and to be successful at this requires a very constant atten- 

 dance at the river-bank ; when therefore I went out birds'-nesting I 

 naturally gave preference to those species that had the greater interest 

 in my eyes, such as hawks and waders. This will account in a great 

 measure for my very scanty notes on the smaller birds ; for these, 

 the south-eastern part of the county is most suitable, as containing 

 more cultivated ground, hedges, woods, etc., in which they delight. 



From the tameness of the eastern part of the county as compared 

 with the west, the larger birds of prey are not nearly so numerous 

 as might be expected, the Golden Eagle only breeding in one locality, 

 or two at the most : one eyrie mentioned below having been 

 deserted of late years. This was placed in an exceptionally wild bit 

 of country quite unlike the surrounding district, and resembling 

 much more the western division ; in this spot the last Wolf was 

 killed in Sutherland, and here the Fox and Wild Cat still maintain 

 a precarious footing. The Sea Eagle never seems to have bred here ; 

 Peregrine Falcons used to be fairly common, but from the greater 

 accessibility of their haunts have been. the more easily destroyed. 



* Perthshire, p. 542. 



t "Scotorum Historiae a Prima Gentis Origine," Paris, 1574; fol. 6, 1. 63. 



X Owen's " British Fossil Mammals," p. 498. 



