NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 39 



Eagle appears to be on the increase, thanks to the protection 

 afforded by large deer-forests. Incidentally, we may mention 

 that a dozen Golden Eagles were sent, in the flesh, to an Inver- 

 ness birdstuffer during the present year. The Kite and Osprey 

 have vanished from their wild retreats, and even the Eaven 

 requires some grace at the hands of game-preservers. It is 

 difficult to understand why this fine bird should be made the 

 object of ruthless persecution, when we remember how rarely it 

 feeds on other substances than carrion. The Cornish Chough 

 can no longer be included in this region, nor is there any 

 suggestion that it was ever abundant. 



Most lamentable as well as inexcusable is the insufficient 

 protection afforded by Highland lairds to the Greylag Goose, 

 which is fast decreasing, many of its former breeding-stations 

 having been abandoned of late years. Sportsmen will regret the 

 decrease of the Ptarmigan on the high mountains. Eeference 

 should be made to the partial migration of this species recorded 

 at p. 311, where particulars are given of the occurrence of a 

 party "at a very great distance from their nearest breeding- 

 ground." Nor can we pass over unnoticed the interesting 

 description which is given (pp. 137 — 143) of the discovery 

 of the nesting of the Snow Bunting on the Scottish mainland, 

 with a coloured plate of the bird, and a view of the locality. 



The recent discovery of small colonies of Tree Sparrows in 

 the Hebrides had partly prepared us to expect that this local 

 bird would be reported from Sutherland, nor are we disappointed 

 in the expectation. Of equal interest is the movement northwards 

 of the Stock Dove. Mr. Buckley shot a specimen at Kintradwell 

 on September 22nd, 1887, and, as it is now known to nest on the 

 Morayshire coast, we shall doubtless soon receive intelligence 

 of its breeding in the two most northern counties. Another 

 advancing species is the Chiffchaff. The Tree Pipit, Wood 

 Wren, and Pied Flycatcher breed within this faunal area, as, of 

 course, do the Spotted Flycatcher, and, more numerously, the 

 Willow Wren ; but the Blackcap appears to be little more than a 

 chance visitor, as is the erratic Turtle Dove, while the Yellow 

 Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, and Grasshopper 

 Warbler are absent from the catalogue. 



The extensive coast-line appears to be singularly destitute of 

 waders, only excepting such cosmopolitan species as the Whim- 



