MAMMALS. 



207 



History of Great Britain and Ireland,^ for a copy of which notes as 

 far as they relate to the vertebrate fauna of our present area we 

 are indebted to Mr. George Thomson of Mains of Gollochy, Port 

 Gordon, the possessor of the original.^ 



The said note stands thus : — ' One got at Gordon Castle, 

 M. terrestris — length to tail, 6 J inches; tail, 3 J inches. Some 

 hairs extend beyond the end of the tail, of the same colour 

 with the rest. Back rusty black, belly ash colour. Head large, 

 roundish, without a snout, but cum ore gibbo (Lin. 1) ; small eyes, 

 ears covered with fur ; no duriculo (sic) appear ; a small claw for a 

 thumb on the forefoot. It agrees well with Linnaeus' character of 

 it. Pennant seems to take no notice of it, if he does not reckon it 

 the same with the M. amphibius.^ ^ 



Of the Vole Mr. Thomson of Ferness says : — * This species is 

 rather more plentiful in the district than could be desired, espe- 

 cially when we consider the ravages which are being inflicted 

 through its agency in some of the border counties. It usually 

 burrows near the surface of the ground, and often finds a retreat 

 for itself in the excavations of some other animal.' 



^ The late Mr. Hoy was house-steward, or 'major-domo,' at Gordon Castle. Most 

 of his time there was spent under Duke Alexander, who died 1827. He continued at 

 the Castle during Duke George's time, by whose duchess he was much esteemed.- 

 . . . He had a great turn for medicines, astronomy, and general natural history, in 

 all which matters he had a strong sympathiser in Duke Alexander, who was one who 

 could fully know and appreciate Mr. Hoy's qualities in these departments. Some 

 years ago the Duke of Richmond and Gordon presented to the (Edinburgh) Scottish 

 Meteorological Society one of its most valued records of the Moray seasons, long 

 kept by Mr. Hoy at the Castle — the earliest one of any authority that they possess. 

 Mr. Hoy must have come from the south of Scotland, as he retained its accent, aa 

 I well remember, to the end. ' We are much indebted to Dr. Gordon for the above 

 precise notes regarding Mr. Hoy, the whole of whose MS. notes (in copy) are before 

 us, viz.. Notes hy the late Mr. Hoy, Gordon Castle, attached to a work. Outlines oftht 

 Natural History of Great Britain and Ireland, by John Berkenhout, M.D., London, 



MDCCLXIX. 



- Mr. George Thomson, whose acquaintance we had the pleasure of making in 

 August 1893, owns a very extensive and most interesting collection of Scotch antiquities, 

 fossil fishes of the Tynet Burn, ancient weapons of warfare, and also mineralogical 

 and geological specimens. He is interested in all matters connected with the natural 

 history and antiquities of his district. We feel greatly indebted to him for his 

 courteous and kind assistance in this and in other matters. 



^ These are the only notes on Mammals in Mr. Hoy's ms., except upon the allied 

 species A. amphibia (infra), but there is a wealth of notes upon the birds. 



