BIRDS. 



227 



any given district ; and only an intimate acqmintance with the bird-life 

 of each district at different seasons can enable one to generalise as to 

 abundance or scarcity as a breeding species, of each kind met with. 



In 1893, Hinxman reported it as not very abundant around 

 Inchrory in Glen Avon, and none were observ^ed higher up than 

 that locality, which is 1350 feet above the sea. 



Pratincola rubicola (Z.). Stonechat. 



A resident species, nowhere abundant, local, but very widely dis- 

 tributed, pairs being found in almost every part of our area north 

 of the Great Glen, as at Glen Cannich, Strath Glass, Invergarry. 

 We have observed these birds on the coast-line in winter, probably 

 driven by the storm from some of the high-lying glens. In 1892 

 Mr. Baillie says the Stonechat (^Whinchat) was not seen about 

 Brora and neighbourhood. 



South of Inverness the Stonechat is much more local than the 

 last species, and it frequents much the same localities in winter as 

 in summer. The probability is that some — probably the young of 

 the year — are migratory, or partially so. The old birds usually 

 remain at the nesting sites or in close proximity to them. 



The species is common — comparativel}' — in Glenlivet, Glen 

 Avon, and parts of Abernethy (Hinxman). It is local on Upper 

 Findhorn, where only one pair was seen in July 1891. Near Find- 

 horn Bridge, Tomatin, during a week we were resident there, as also 

 in many other parts of the district, only single pairs were observed. 

 It was not considered common near Forres by Norman in 1870; and 

 records of it on the Deveron valley down to Banff are not abundant, 

 though Dr. J. 0. Wilson seemed to consider it 'not uncommon 

 where there is stony ground with whins,' near Huntly in 1888. 



Brown of Forres speaks of it in his carefully compressed notes 

 as ' common, but not (he thinks) abundant : resorts to heathy and 

 hilly pastures, overgrown with furze, juniper, and other low shrubs.' 

 We ourselves found it rarely on Lower Deveron, a pair or two 

 frequenting the same spots for three successive seasons, 1890-92. 

 We have also identified it in one place over the watershed in the 

 Ythan valley ('Dee'). 



Ruticilla phoenicurus (I.). Redstart. 



A summer visitant, and although found throughout all the glens and 

 straths in the northern part of our area it does not appear to be 



