246 



BIRDS. 



so abundant as the Fiddich, between Craigellachie and Dufftown, 

 but, really, it is one of our most conspicuous companions during 

 any fishing tour amongst the hills and streams of Moray. It is 

 said to be less abundant around Forres by Mr. Wm. Brown, and 

 naturally it is so, as the rivers do not run through such enticing 

 nesting ground. Edward spoke of the Dipper or 'Water-Craw,' 

 as once treated as vermin, and as more abundant about thirty 

 years ago, and adds, ' now rarely to be seen ' around Banff. Now, 

 however^ we cannot hear of its suffering much or any persecution, 

 and it has no doubt entirely recovered its numbers, if, indeed, they 

 were ever decimated in Moray. 



Dr. Gordon has given strong evidence against our little friend, 

 on the authority of one of the water-bailiffs, who gives evidence 

 of having seen a Water-Crow contend with a Brown Trout for the 

 spawn of a Sea Trout, at the very time the latter was shedding its 

 ova on the ' redds ' {Fauna of Moray). That they do take ova 

 cannot be denied, but they are resident birds with us, and surely 

 cannot feed upon ova all the year round ; and before condemning 

 the sprightly companion of the angler as inimical to his interests, 

 it would be well to consider how much insect or other life, destruc- 

 tive to ova, he may destroy all through the summer months, and 

 therefore the possible good he may do to counterbalance his short 

 surfeit (if you will) of Salmon, Sea Trout, or Brown Trout ova. 

 It is the old story : men are pertinaciously blind to possibilities 

 which cannot easily and without trouble be patent to their coarser 

 senses ; and are ready to condemn, solely upon facts which they 

 are able, without that trouble, to perceive. They cannot trust 

 Nature to preserve the balance, but often ignorantly interfere 

 with her. 



Dr. J. O. Wilson ^ also bears testimony to the scarcity of the 

 'Water-Crow' and says it was 'nearly exterminated about twenty 

 years ago, as a price was set on its head on account of supposed 

 " depredations" on salmon spawn.' It is not yet very abundant on 

 the Deveron near Huntly (whence Dr. J. 0. Wilson writes), though 

 some four or five pairs are known to us as breeding within a mile 

 of that town. 



It is curious to find the O.S.A. silent as to the Dipper; but see 



^ Dr. J. 0. Wilson of Huntly, to whose article and correspondence we are much 

 indebted in connection with the district around Huntly on the Deveron. 



