242 



BIRDS. 



Oak wood, and Mr. Foljambe gives the Main wood — both planta- 

 tions near Elgin — as localities. Mr. Robert Gray records it from 

 Banff, but only upon the authority of Edward {B. of W. of Scotland, 

 p. 97). 



We have always looked upon the distribution of this species 

 as more typical of the west coast anywhere north of Clyde than 

 of the east coast north of Forth ; we believe it to be commoner in 

 suitable quarters in equally-sized areas in the west — in other words, 

 they are commoner and more general in the west than in the east 

 at the present time, and we believe their spread and increase in 

 extension of range may enter our area from the west, as in the 

 case of the Kedstart, as we have already endeavoured to explain. 



Since writing the above, and while bringing our work down to 

 date of going to press (October 1894), we have received a later 

 note by Hinxman — whose opportunities for taking observations 

 have been very considerable indeed of late years in Strathspey 

 and AVest Eoss. Hinxman says : — ' Appears to be very thinly dis- 

 tributed in Strathspey. Seen at Craigellachie (i.e. Upper Craigel- 

 lachie), and Rothiemurchus, May 8th and June 3d, 1894 (the first 

 time I have observed it in Upper Strathspey). Also at Broulin, 

 at the head of Glen Strathfarrar, June 5th.' We think there is 

 little doubt the increase — if it does occur — will come from the 

 west, or ^outh and west, down the valleys. We have now to record 

 a very sudden and great increase of this species at Aviemore in the 

 spring and summer of 1895 (aiLct. Hinxman and Eagle-Clarke). 



Acrocephalus phragmitis (Bechst). Sedge Warbler. 



A widely distributed summer visitant, being found more or less in 

 every suitable locality to the very north of our area. Hepburn 

 remarks that he met with this species at Glen Urquhart in 1847, 

 though it was scarce ; but Mr. A. Craig remarks that it is ex- 

 tremely common in the marshy ground there, where the Coiltie 

 and Enrick run into Loch Ness, so that this is evidently an increas- 

 ing species, at least along the line of the Great Glen. We did not 

 observe the species so far up the valleys as Guisachan. None were 

 observed in their old haunts about Brora in 1892 (W. Baillie), and 

 it was not observed by Mr. Doncaster in the Inverness-shire glens 

 in 1891. They are usually abundant around Inverness. 



South of Inverness this summer visitant is fairly common, but 



