64 Proceedings of the Eoyal Tliysical Society. 



of Peterhead. The Highland piet, or fieldfare, seemed to 

 become unusually tame, and numbers of them took refuge in 

 the small gardens of the town of Fraserburgh, and were fed 

 by the people along with the robins. I saw a considerable 

 flock of them this month in the garden of the Free manse at 

 New Deer. As soon as the soil began to be visible in this 

 neighbourhood, the wood-pigeons returned in innumerable 

 quantity, and have caused great destruction among turnips. 

 (6.) The only further remark which occurs to me is, that I am 

 struck with the absence of common birds in their usual 

 numbers, such as blackbirds, thrushes, linnets, and even 

 sparrows. During the severity of the storm partridges and 

 even grouse fed quite tamely among the ricks in the farm- 

 yards, and the former frequented cottage gardens quite 

 familiarly." A newspaper correspondent writing from Aber- 

 deen on the night of Tuesday, the 31st December, said : " As 

 showing the severity of the weather, it may be stated that a 

 number of partridges have found their way to the city, where 

 several were caught during the day." 



Argylesliire. — Under date December 18, 1878, Mr John 

 Campbell, Ledaig, near Loch Etive, writes: "Yesterday I 

 found a number of little birds dead and dying — redwings, 

 common thrushes, a pair of a kind, one of which I send you, 

 chafiinches, etc., etc." "Ledaig, December 25. — I received 

 your note this morning, and send you a few more birds which 

 I found dead in the garden to-day — a thrush the same as the 

 last to make a pair, two redwings, a little bird I don't know 

 by its English name; our Gaelic name for it means the 

 heather chatterer. The redwings are dying in dozens. To- 

 day I got some blackbirds, chaffinches, hedge sparrows, and 

 common thrushes." "Ledaig, Decemher 26. — The contents 

 of the box I forward to-night I found frozen to death in 

 different parts of the garden. The woodcock illustrates the 

 great severity of the weather. The weasel was one of the 

 prettiest I have ever seen." " Ledaig, January 16, 1879. — 

 I send you a little bird I got at the roadside, near my house. 

 I have never seen such a small snipe here before. I have 

 been inquiring after what you wish to know. The game- 

 keeper says the grouse stood the last storm well, as there was 



