THE HARVEST MOUSE 559 



numerous ; as in the case of much of England, it would appear to 

 have decreased or to be less often met with than formerly. Very 

 sporadic records are all that could be collected for the Edinburgh 

 district (1836-1905) by W. Evans, who however, himself found an 

 unmistakable nest in August 1885, near Aberlady, East Lothian. 

 Neither Harvie-Brown nor Millais (177) have met with the species 

 in Scotland, and the former thinks that many records could be 

 dispensed with. W. Evans states {in lit.) that he can obtain no 

 fresh information from Scotland, and that he has quite failed to 

 procure or see a specimen ; he thinks the species may not really be 

 indigenous, but occasionally establishes itself in a locality for a time. 

 Prof Duns found a nest near Duns, Berwickshire, before 1844; and 

 Small (taxidermist, Edinburgh) informed W. Evans that about 1861 he 

 received three, he believes from near the same town. Service {Ann. 

 Scott. Nat. Hist., 1896, 205) says that although he had seen and handled 

 the mice and nests from corn-stalks on Rotchell Farm, near Maxwell- 

 town, it has nowhere been seen or heard of in the Solway district for 

 over twenty-five years. In Ayrshire it seems to have been common 

 about 1855, and was seen by G. W. Murdoch {op. cit.). J. M. B. 

 Taylor {Ann. Scott. Nat Hist., 1898, 112) mentions a nest found in 

 1895, at Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, now in Paisley Museum, and states 

 that he has seen other nests in the county. A doubtful specimen 

 in the Andersonian Collection (Hunterian Museum) from the Clyde 

 district is mentioned by Boyd Watt. In Perthshire, Millais believes 

 it may occur in the Carse of Gowrie. It is mentioned in a list of 

 animals from Alloa {New Stat. Account, Clackmannanshire, 9), in which 

 also its size and weight are correctly noted ; and the eastern distri- 

 bution in Scotland of this comparatively southern form as compared 

 with that of birds is discussed by Gray and Anderson {Birds 0/ 

 Wigtownshire, 4; E. R. Alston). One from Kincardineshire, caught 

 in 1869, is recorded by R. Gray (E. R. Alston). It is not known in 

 the Llanbryde district, according to Taylor. Macgillivray had two 

 specimens, one sent from Aberdeenshire, the other from near Edin- 

 burgh, and he once found the nest in Fifeshire. Sim heard of one 

 taken in 1889 at Kennay House, Banff, by Stewart Burnett {Ann. Scott. 

 Nat. Hist, 1898, 46); he also mentions one in Banff Museum, said to 

 have been taken at Greenskairs, Gardenstown. This is in part confirmed 

 by T.Edward {Zoologist, 1861, 7379), who received two from Wallas 

 Gardiner, Greenskairs, Gamrie, Banffshire ; Edward sent one of these, 

 said to have been 4 inches long, including tail, and to have weighed 

 i ounce 13 grains, i.e. 4-38 grammes, or a little less than the weight 

 recorded by Gilbert White (see p. 565) to the Banff Museum. W. Taylor 

 {Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist., 1897, 249) says there is no Harvest Mouse in 

 Banff Museum, and he thinks Edward probably mistook young bright- 



