230 



BIRDS. 



side, and by Hinxman; on the Deveron, where they were abundant 

 in 1891, few were to be seen, and Harvie-Brown spent all May, 

 June, July, and part of August in the same localities as in 1891. 

 It is certain that great fluctuations year by year take place in 

 their numbers. 



We find that during a residence in May 1884 at Aberlour-on- 

 Spey, none were observed there by us, though one was seen by Mr. 

 John Young 1 when staying with our party. But, on the other 

 hand, as long ago as 1881 we found the Eedstart common all along 

 the side of Loch Errochd, and over the adjoining high-lying dis- 

 trict. In 1885 only one was seen by us at Aberlour, but in Aber- 

 nethy woods it appeared to be somewhat commoner that season, and 

 was remarked upon by resident natives. The line of its extension 

 is, we think, thus fairly accurately traced ; and if we take Scotland 

 generally we find its numbers greater west of the backbone of 

 Scotland, and less along the east coasts north of Forth as far as 

 Dee. We have entered into details, as we consider this extension 

 illustrative of certain peculiarities in the migration and distribu- 

 tion of species quite worthy of such lengthened remarks, and even 

 of the few additional notes which follow. 



In 1885 a pair bred close to the hotel at Dalwhinnie in a large 

 old mountain ash — the same tree where, as we will relate further 

 on, a cock Capercaillie was shot. In Upper Nethy valley, among 

 the old pines and alders which fringe the river-banks, it has been 

 known for years, but not as a common species, and at the present 

 day, and in 1891, was not much more abundant than previously; 

 and no great increase was observed by the resident keepers there 

 in 1891. Thus it would appear that the vanguard of the great wave 

 pressed down the main Spey valley, but in some of the valleys at 

 least had not pressure enough upon it to flood the adjoining areas 

 uniformly. Where checked, as it would be at narrower defiles, 

 such as Upper and Lower Craigellachie and above Aberlour, the 

 force of the flow would be concentrated and pass the entrances of 

 the side valleys, where these were narrow and partially concealed, 

 which in great measure would account for the populating of the 

 upper waters of the tributaries which join the main stream below 



1 John Young, Esq., M.B.O.U., to whom we are indebted for numerous notes 

 and lists of species observed during excursions made by him within the Hmits of our 

 district, as well as elsewhere in Scotland. 



