EXTENSION IN FORFARSHIRE. 73 



1863. In this year two male birds were shot at Kinnordy, 

 and since then they have been resident, having plenty of 

 scope to increase their numbers in large fir and larch woods, 

 of between 400 and 500 acres in extent. These birds probably 

 arrived from the direction of the Bamff estate on the borders 

 of Perth, or it is also possible that they came northward from 

 the Sidlaw hills, as we find them also at Glamis in 1863, 

 though not established there till 1865 or 1866. The former 

 advance, we think, is the more probable of the two, as 

 correspondents agree that the first place visited by the birds 

 in this part of Forfar was on Lord Airlie's grounds, close to 

 the county march. I do not, unfortunately, hold an exact 

 date for their arrival at Airlie Castle, but I have a return from 

 the united estates of Airlie, Ascreavie, Aucharroch, and 

 Kincliine, which is sufficiently exact. 



1864. Occasional birds appeared at Kincaldrum, probably 

 wandered from Airlie Castle or Kinnordy. The woods are 

 about 100 acres in extent, but the birds have never become 

 resident. 



1865. Arrived at Fearn; becoming established in 1868 

 (q.v.) (44 miles from O ). The area of wood is not great, 

 only some 40 acres, but this appears to be sufficient to hold 

 them. 



It was in this year also that Capercaillie reached Stracathro, 

 the farthest point in Forfar, in the Brechin district. This is 

 still the only locality in the immediate vicinity of Stracathro 

 where they are resident and breeding, though stragglers are 

 shot on most of the adjoining estates. In 1877 there were 

 3 or 4 broods, and my friend Mr. W. Horn saw 7 or 8 birds 

 in one day's cover-shootmg, though the proprietors do not 

 protect, but try to keep their numbers from increasing. Stra- 

 cathro is 54 miles from O , and the direction of their advance 

 to this point is almost in a straight line from Dunkeld. At 

 Dalnaglar, a point in Glen Shee almost upon the Forfar and 



