^88 



BIRDS. 



the holes of old walls and similar places, and there were several 

 pairs in his own garden there. 



Edward says it is found in several localities in the county of 

 Banff. It is not in the Banff Museum nor in Smith's lists, nor 

 have we, during three years' experience of the district, ever met 

 with it in the summer, nor indeed at any time, and Dr. J. 0. 

 Wilson is unacquainted with it as a native of Middle Deveron. 



According to the Fauna of Moray it was obtained near Forres 

 in 1878. It certainly has bred, and perhaps still breeds, at Pit- 

 gaveny House, close to the Loch of Spynie (Captain Dunbar- 

 Brander, ex oi'e). Brown of Forres assures us it breeds in holes 

 in certain old large ash-trees close to Forres, but, he adds, 

 they do not appear to increase, and are considered quite scarce, 

 both by him and by Mr. Mackessack of Newton Struthers. As 

 early as January 1838 Tree Sparrows were reported as having 

 been seen near Waulkmill, Forres, by Norman ; also at Cassieford, 

 Forres, early in 1879, by the same gentleman. Foljambe gave 

 the Main Wood, near Elgin, as a locality in February 1838. 

 Of later years Brown of Forres has found the nests in the same 

 willow-trees spoken of above; and in 1883 Captain Dunbar- 

 Brander reported them again at Pitgaveny in June. Backhouse 

 met with Tree Sparrows near Killiecrankie ('Tay ') in 1885, and 

 Millais observed them at Fort George. 



In 1893 we had the satisfaction of identifying the Tree Sparrow 

 in the holes of the old ash-trees referred to above, near Forres, on 

 two occasions — in April, and again in July. 



Fringilla coelebs, Z. Chaffinch. 



Local Names. — Chaffie, Boldie, Chic ; (in Banff) Tree Lintie {Fauna 

 of Moray). 



There is no more abundant species in the north of our area than the 

 Chaffinch ; no place that we have ever visited is without its full 

 share ; winter and summer it is equally plentiful. Albinos do 

 not seem particularly common amongst them, seeing they are so 

 numerous. One was shot at Craigellachie in January 1857, and 

 sent to Inverness for preservation. 



The Chaffinch is resident, very abundant, and very generally 

 distributed in the south of our area — indeed, almost our commonest 

 bird. It ranges as far up as Tomintoul in Glen Avon, and up 



