284 



BIRDS. 



In winter they are often seen about the alders which fringe 

 the river near Inverness. 



In the south of our area the Siskin is resident, or partially 

 migratory from its breeding haunts amongst spruces and pines to 

 the winter resorts of alder by the sides of the rivers in their lower 

 or middle reaches. 



It was considered doubtful whether they actually nested or 

 not, until St. John put the matter beyond doubt in 1850, and 

 instanced several localities in the Laigh of Moray.^ Another early 

 record or series of records are those communicated to Hancock of 

 Newcastle by Mr. A. Macdonald,^ East Eoss-shire, in 1853; and 

 we are assured by Lewis Dunbar that they were far from rare 

 along Strathspey in 1847 to 1853, when he was resident at 

 Grantown. But, even earlier still, we find in the Fauna of Moray 

 that it had been repeatedly met with in small flocks in autumn 

 and winter both in Elgin and Nairn, and that one well-ascertained 

 instance occurred of its nesting and taking off its young at Elgin 

 Hill about two and a half miles from Lochnabo, which locality is 

 amongst those mentioned by St. John. , 



Since these earlier dates there can be no doubt as to its abun- 

 dance, whether due to a natural increase or owing to previous dearth 

 of observers, and at the present time it is abundant, if unobtrusive. 

 By some it is spoken of as 'rather rare,' but such remarks are 

 usually only of local significance ; but it is certainly not easy to 

 arrive at minute details of its distribution or of its abundance or 

 scarcity. That they are partially migratory is not to be doubted, 

 and the probability is that a considerable proportion pass out of 

 the Spey valley and migrate past Dalwhinnie, at least in some 

 seasons. A few are seen occasionally, even in late summer, at 

 this high-level station, once on June 29th, 1885, by Backhouse, 

 but they may not occur there every year. It is even just possible 

 a pair or so may breed in this oasis of wood in the middle of the 



^ The first recorded Siskin's nest was taken by Lewis Dunbar near Inverness on 

 April 10th, 1850 (Hewitson, Eggs of Brit. Birds, 3rd ed., vol. 1. p. 199.) 



2 Alexander Macdonald lived at Bog of Balnagown, and sent eggs of Crossbills, 

 etc., to Hancock ; and Alexander Macdonald afterwards sent clutches (1870) to 

 Harvie-Brown. Again he wrote to Harvie-Brown in 1870: — 'I know it was me 

 who sent him' (referring to Mr. Hancock) 'the last lot from Balnagown in 1862.' 

 Alexander Macdonald left Balnagown and went to America, and a brother — William 

 — afterwards obtained eggs on at least one occasion. 



