Birds. 509 



well-ascertained instance of the siskin having brought out its young 

 at Elginshill, near Innes-house. 



Lesser redpoll, " Rose lintie," F. Lin aria. 



Common linnet, " Whin lintie," F. Cannabina. Both these species 

 are resident and generally dispersed over the province. 



Mountain linnet, {F. montium). Seen in flocks at the Gedloch, five 

 miles south of Elgin, and about 400 or 500 feet above the sea level, 

 February 8, 1844. 



Common bullfinch, Pyrrhula vulgaris. Much more common than 

 the goldfinch. 



Common crossbill, Loxia carvirostra. A crossbill was shot some 

 years ago in the Oakwood near Elgin, by Mr. G. Taylor; and in 1841 

 there were a few seen both at Calcots, Elginshire, and at Cawdor, 

 Nairnshire. 



Starling, Slurnus vulgaris. Seen almost every year in small flocks 

 of from four to eight in the spring and autumn, and even sometimes 

 in December ; a few, like a young brood, observed one summer by 

 Mr. Martin at Stotfield, has been the only indication of their breed- 

 ing in this part of Scotland ; except " at the church-yard of Petty, 

 where it has been known to build for many years in the roof of the 

 Mackintosh's tomb, and at Moy in Strath-dearn," George Anderson, 

 Esq., Inverness. They frequent Caithness, and rear their young 

 among the rocks that bound its southern shores. 



Raven, " Corbie," Corvus Corax. Found in the upper and more 

 inaccessible parts of the country ; but its numbers are much circum- 

 scribed by those appointed by sportsmen and sheep-farmers for de- 

 stroying vermin. 



Carrion crow, C. Cor one. 



Hooded crow, C. Comix. Much more abundant than either of the 

 two preceding, particularly in the lower and better cultivated parts of 

 the country, where they build most frequently in trees, and remain all 

 the year. They here perform many of the offices assigned to the vul- 

 ture in warmer climes, and have been known to attack and partially 

 devour a wounded partridge, the moment that they saw it fall to the 

 ground, after being carried away upon the wind about a quarter of a 

 mile from the place where it rose and was shot at. The grey parts 

 of the plumage are occasionally found shading through brown, down 

 in some individuals to pure black, which, when they mate with others 

 of the ordinary colours, have been regarded by some as carrion crows. 

 A variety, with its colours in an opposite direction, was killed at 

 Broadlev, near Nairn, some years ago. " It had the head, wings &c. 



