The Zoologist — February, 1868. 1065 



Natural History Notes from Morayshire. 

 By George Norman, Esq. 



During the year 1S67 I resided, from the month of June until the 

 end of October, at Forres, in Morayshire, and having made a few 

 notes I venture to make a selection which may interest the readers of 



the ' Zoologist.' 



To the sportsman and naturalist the country round Forres has been 

 rendered classic ground since the late Charles St. John resided there 

 during the time he wrote his interesting ' Natural History and Sports 

 of the Highlands.' I quite agree with St. John in his estimation of 

 the varied beauties of the country in this district; certainly no part of 

 the British Isles that I am acquainted with contains within the same 

 limits so great a variety of aspect, and presents so many attractions to 

 the naturalist and sportsman, as the country around Forres. Miles of 

 magnificent pine, spruce and larch forest; numbers of fine rivers and 

 lochs, abounding with salmon and trout ; extensive upland moors ; a 

 wonderfully mild climate and dry soil : these, with a sea-coast within 

 half-au-hour's journey, are features not often so happily combined in 

 one locality. Indeed, to one fond of Natural History and sporting, it 

 is a glorious country. During the whole five mouths I resided in 

 Forres we experienced a remarkable freedom from electrical 

 disturbance, for I do not remember noticing either thunder or light- 

 ning. The climate is very much milder than the part of Yorkshire I 

 am now writing from ; as an instance of this, I may mention having 

 eaten both peaches and nectarines quite as well ripened as any I have 

 seen in Covent Garden: these were grown in the open air by the 

 kind and hospitable Laird of Dalvey, Norman M'Leod, Esq. In the 

 garden at Dalvey I noticed remarkably fine specimens of Ailanthus 

 glandulosa, forty feet high, Magnolia acuminata (?), perhaps twenty 

 feet, and a tall shrub sent by the late Dr. Wallich from India, all 

 flourishing without any protection in the open air. These facts are 

 given to show how mild the climate is in a locality so far North. 



Cole Tit. — This is perhaps the most common bird in the extensive 

 plantation at Cluny Hill, the place where I resided. The woods seem 

 alive with them, I iooked out for the marsh tit, but in vain, and if 

 found in this district it must be rare. The cole tits more generally 

 associated with goldencrests, large and blue tits. 



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