; IQOI-1902. The Birds of Ballinluig, &c. 279 
» 79 
and sand martins skimming about. Game seems to grow 
_ more plentiful, and as we approach Ballinluig the oyster- 
_ catcher becomes very abundant. The local name for this 
_ bird is “ Tooleet,” from its cry. During the month of June 
_ one can hear the cry of the tooleet at any hour of the day or 
night. 
_ Having reached Ballinluig, I shall give an account of the 
dj district, with a few notes on the birds observed there. The 
district lies at the junction of the Tay and Tummel rivers, 
eight miles north from Dunkeld, and four south from Pitlochry. 
It is in the parish of Logierait, associated with the escape of 
Rob Roy from the Duke of Atholl. Some of the prisoners 
taken at Prestonpans in *45 were sent to prison here. The 
woods, somewhat dense, are well suited for bird life, and roe- 
deer are plentiful in them. The trees are chiefly larch, Scots 
fir, and oak. Larch is especially fine, and of considerable 
value to the proprietor. The oak used to be felled and the 
bark peeled off for use in tanning, but this does not seem to 
have paid—at least, the practice has been abandoned during 
‘recent years. There is abundance of moorland all round the 
district. My notes were made within a radius of three or 
four miles around Ballinluig. 
The following does not pretend to be a complete list of 
the birds of the district, and is simply a record of what came 
under my own observation. The list of birds comprises 95 
_ kinds, some—such as the jay and capercailzie—not being 
met with in many parts of Scotland. The capercailzie flourishes 
here because the woods are admirably suited for it, both as 
regards habits and food. Taymouth Castle, the place of its 
- reintroduction in 1837-38, is only a few miles off. The jay 
continues to hold its own in spite of all manner of persecution 
from game-preservers. It is said to be a notorious egg-stealer, 
and consequently pays the penalty. I have had eggs pointed 
out to me by a keeper who said he knew they had been 
sucked by a jay from the neat hole made in the egg by that 
bird. I have seen family parties of jays feeding on insects 
on oak trees, also on maggots on a dead rabbit. The jay isa 
“Match for the wasp, and I was told by a keeper that he had 
‘Shot one in the act of killing wasps. Im fact, he fired 
‘the shot out of’ his house, setting fire to the window- 
_ VOL. Iv. x 
