1882-83] Edinburgh Naturalists' Field Club. 89 



hills in many parts of tlie Highlands, and which are shunned as a 

 general rule by most species, a pair of Eedstarts may often be 

 found, attention being called to their presence by the short though 

 sweet song of the male, which in such situations falls on the ear 

 with greater acceptance from the oppressive gloom and silence that 

 pertains to these regions, as well as to the scarcity of any other 

 melody to form a contrast. The Bullfinch also is a tenant of the 

 Pass, although not so numerous as the last. Various causes com- 

 bine to prevent its increase, or rather to hasten its decrease, — the 

 demand for it as a cage pet being a fertile source of diminution. 

 Severe winters also make havoc among its numbers. But perhaps 

 a more potent cause than either is to be found in the wanton 

 slaughter perpetrated by gardeners, many of whom wage continual 

 war against the little birds in spring-time. The reason of this 

 hostility is the damage presumably wrought on the young buds of 

 fruit-trees. But although harm to a certain extent is without 

 doubt committed, in the opinion of many competent to judge the 

 injury is unnecessarily exaggerated. The question naturally arises 

 to our minds, sujjposing it to be actually the case that fruit-trees are 

 destroyed so considerably as horticulturists would have us believe, 

 how does it happen that other trees in a wild state, such as Geans, 

 Sloes, &c., do not seem to suffer? Yet it is notorious that the 

 Bullfinch shows a similar 'penchant for the buds of these, which, 

 notwithstanding, bear fruit in spite of his efforts. Even granting 

 for the moment that gardeners' statements are absolutely true, 

 surely few people possessed of any humane feeling would grudge 

 the birds the little they would take, the pleasure to be derived 

 from observing the handsome little creatures in the full enjoyment 

 of life being to many sufficient compensation for the non-appearance 

 of a few apples or sour plums. Prejudices of that kind are, how- 

 ever, always difiicult to contend with, more especially when the 

 mistaken notions have been believed in without any attempt to 

 justify them by actual observation, as is the case with many who 

 never think it worth their while to look at the question from any 

 other standpoint save their own. But with the increasing educa- 

 tional influences of the present time more liberal and enlightened 

 ideas may be looked for, and then perhaps better days and kindlier 

 treatment will be in store for the pretty and interesting little 

 Bullfinches. 



Among the common species that haunt the locality, and which 

 it is unnecessary to do more than name, are the Blackbird, Hedge- 

 accentor, Eobin, Greenfinch, and ChafiSnch — the Latin synonym of 

 the latter, which signifies a " bachelor," owing its oi-igin to a habit 

 that induces the sexes to separate and keep by themselves in 

 winter, — a fact which seems now to be indubitably established. 

 About the village and adjacent farm-steadings the well-known and 



