CHAP. xr. RARE BIRDS. 213 



on Benrinnes by a gentleman from England, and sent 

 to me as a rarity. It was only in 1836 that this fern 

 was made known as British, having then been for 

 the first time met with by a party of naturalists on 

 Ben Lawers. Since that time, however, it has been 

 found in a ravine between Glen Dochart and Glen 

 Lochy, Perthshire. It is also found on the mountains 

 of North Wales, on the Alps, and on the Eocky Moun- 

 tains of North America." 



Many rare birds were sent to him for examina- 

 tion, notices of which he recorded in the local 

 paper. Thus, he obtained the Little Crake (Crex 

 pusilla), a bird that had not before been found in the 

 neighbourhood, from a land-surveyor at Whitehills. 

 The Mountain Finch (Fringilla montifringilla) was 

 sent to him from Macduff, where it had been driven 

 ashore during a recent storm. A Greater Shrike or 

 Butcher bird (Lanius exculitor) a bird that had not 

 before been found in Scotland, was found dead at 

 Drummuir Castle, and sent to him for preservation. 

 The Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) and Bee-eater 

 (Merops apiaster) very rare birds were also found 

 at Boyndie. 



Of the latter bird, Edward says, "This is a 

 splendid bird, as rare as the last, if not more so. If we 

 except the breast, which is of a bright yellow, en- 

 circled by a black ring, and some other orange and 

 brown scattered here and there, it may be said to be 

 of a beautiful verdigris green. The two middle tail 



