504 Birds. 



Osprey, A. Haliaetos. Builds on the ruins of the castle in Loch- 

 aneilan, Badenoch — the " Lochandhu " of Sir Thos. Dick Lauder. 

 The nest of the osprey has also been found at Almore, in Glenmore, 

 by Mr. Grigor, Forres ; and the bird itself along the line of the Cale- 

 donian canal. 



Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus. Occasionally met with in the 

 upland districts. Many specimens have at different times been killed 

 at the falls of Glenlatterach, and especially in 1834, 5, 6 and 8, when 

 one or two were annually obtained by Mr. Foljambe. 



Merlin, or stone falcon, F. Msalon. Not unfrequent throughout 

 the county. It is generally seen to skim along the ground, and to 

 perch on dikes, and the larger stones and mole-hills. Although one 

 of our smallest hawks, yet the merlin often pursues and strikes down 

 the partridge for its prey. 



Kestril, windhover, F. Tinnunculus. This is the most abundant 

 of the hawk tribe at all seasons of the year ; often seen about rocks 

 and precipitous cliffs, where it builds, as at Covesea, &c. Feeding 

 chiefly on mice and insects, it is of much more service by their de- 

 struction than the damage, if any, done to the young of poultry or 

 game ; yet it is as ruthlessly persecuted, and its extirpation as eagerly 

 desired, as that of some of its really injurious congeners. 



Sparrow-hawk, Accipiter fringillarius. In the north of Scotland 

 the kestril and merlin share the name of sparrow-hawk in common 

 with this species. 



Kite, Milvus Ictinus. Sparingly diffused over the more wooded 

 parts of the country. A beautiful specimen, noticed by Professor 

 M'Gillivray in his work on the Rapacious Birds, was killed in the 

 wood near Cawdor-castle, where it had its nest, in 1832. Another 

 was killed by Mr. Foljambe' s gamekeeper, in the hill near Rothes, in 

 1838. 



Common buzzard, Buteo vulgaris. Although regarded as a com- 

 mon British bird, yet it is believed that its actual occurrence in this 

 district was first ascertained by Mr. Foljambe, whose gamekeeper 

 trapped three specimens in the hills between Rothes and Knockando. 



Hen harrier, " Grey gled," B. cyaneus. The most abundant and 

 destructive of our larger hawks. Resident throughout the year ; and 

 in common with the peregrine falcon, buzzard and kite, has the name 

 of " gled " applied to it. It is the male that is the " grey gled." 



Long-eared owl, Olus vulgaris* This appears to be by far the most 

 abundant species of the owl tribe in this part of Scotland. It is resi- 



