226 



BIRDS. 



distributed. Edward records it from Banffshire, but there are no 

 specimens in the Banff Museum.^ It is marked as common in 

 Smith's lists. 



In 1844 it was observed near Aberlour, where it has been 

 since frequently seen by us. Norman ^ did not consider it abun- 

 dant near Forres about 1870, but there are plenty of records of it 

 later, at or near this place. 



We have ourselves met with it all over the area, in suitable 

 places, as high up the Deveron as Glass and Beldornie or Mid- 

 Deveron, and again in Upper Deveron at Ardwell and Bridge 

 End, abundantly, in August 1892, although the numbers seen 

 would not, perhaps, represent more than about a dozen pairs of 

 nesting birds. Similarly, at Rothiemay, numbers were seen in 

 July perching on reed stems in cornfields, on thistles and the like; 

 they were extremely local and numerous, but would not represent 

 a large number of nesting pairs. They shift their haunts up and 

 down a valley, and are easily influenced by changes going on from 

 year to year in the farming and land improvements of any district. 



The Whinchat arrives near Forres in April and departs in 

 September, and is found chiefly in hilly upland parts, but also — 

 says Brown of Forres — ' in the lower tracts of the Laigh of Moray 

 and similar situations, which are overgrown with shrubs and low 

 scrub.' It is found as high up as Dalwhinnie, Tomintoul, and 

 Upper Cabrach of Deveron, and on Findhorn above Tomatin. At 

 all places the species is, of course, more noticeable late in the 

 summer or early autumn, when the old and young of the year 

 flock together. The numbers of almost any species of bird seen 

 in the end of July or August, or beginning of the migrating season, 

 are apt to give exaggerated ideas of the number of nesting pairs in 



1 It should be remembered that Edward twice sold his collections, and that it is 

 now almost hopeless to endeavour to trace his many specimens which are mentioned. 

 This was more his misfortune than his fault, though we cannot but regret that he 

 did not label all his specimens with localities and dates. 



2 Mr. George Norman was principally distinguished as an entomologist, and con- 

 tributed much valuable work upon the district to The Entomologist from 1870 

 onwards. Mr. Norman was the younger son of a good Yorkshire family; he came to 

 stay at Forres Hydropathic, and for a good many years made it his headquarters. 

 He died about 1885. We are indebted to Mr. G. W. Anderson of Forres for the 

 above particulars. He possesses some of the late Mr. Norman's unpublished mss. , 

 which we have had the pleasure of seeing. 



