6 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and had been drowned when the water was let down upon them. 

 At Park Hill, where they had a stronghold, they were killed out 

 about ten years ago (say 1870). Park Hill is about six or seven 

 miles north-west of Aberdeen. Mr. Sim says he is not aware 

 now of any places in the county which can be said with certainty 

 to hold Badgers, excepting one property, which he mentions by 

 name. At this place they were extirpated about forty years ago, 

 but have lately reappeared, and they are now carefully preserved, 

 and looked upon as harmless by the proprieter. In the extreme 

 north-east of the county, the Eev. W. Gregor got one twenty-four 

 years ago (say 1856), and reports it as being now very rare in the 

 district ; it is indeed, I think, probably extinct. A few still, in 

 1880, exist about Braemar, however, and their tracks were 

 seen in 1880 — 81 on the snow near Old Mar Lodge, and I 

 have record of one killed in 1856 on the braes of Mar, but none 

 since then. 



Argyleshire. — In Sunart there are still a good many Badgers, 

 but few fortunately are killed, as they go deep into earns of 

 stones. One was killed on the top of Ben Resipol by terriers 

 when hunting for foxes in April, 1876, and the keeper trapped 

 another in May of the same year on the " rough side of Glen- 

 tuirc " in a trap set for Hooded Crows. It is somewhat curious 

 that they seem to be quite unknown in the adjoining promontory 

 of Ardnamurchan, west of Salen, which marches with Sunart. 

 Mr. J. J. Dalgleish, who has known the place since 1856, has 

 never known of Badgers there, nor have any been seen by the 

 keeper since he came there in 1862. The tangled woods and 

 rocky and almost unapproachable places overlooking Loch 

 Sunart, however, might possibly harbour a few of these animals 

 for a long time without much chance of their detection, especially 

 of late years, since the woods have got up. The Bev. A. Stewart, 

 of Ballachulish, seems to consider the Badger much rarer in 

 Strontian Locheil and Lochaber. He can only instance very few 

 having been killed during the last twenty years. Twenty years 

 ago (say 1861) he saw a living female with two cubs, which had 

 been captured previously about ten miles north of Fortwilliam. 

 About twelve years ago (say 1870) he saw a very fine and savage 

 old male in the possession of a shepherd at Strontian. It was 

 afterwards sent south to a friend in Dumfriesshire. About five 

 years ago (say 1877) a female was killed in Glen Etive. There is 



