290 



BIRDS. 



another cock in another compartment ' (Mr. C. Macpherson, in lit. 

 1887). 



A male, marked as *rare,' was presented to the Elgin Museum 

 by the late Eev. Dr. George Gordon, which was killed at Grant 

 Lodge.^ 



Bramblings were quite numerous in the neighbourhood of 

 Inverness during the severe winter of 1894-95, and we saw some 

 large flocks. On two or thi'ee occasions a single bird came to the 

 window to feed with the other small birds. 



Linota cannabina (L.). Linnet 



Local Names. — Lintie, TVhin Lintie, Rose Lintie (Whin Lintie is also 

 applied to the "Whinchat). 



North of the Xess the Linnet is common and resident through, and 

 up to the borders of, the cultivated area, but does not extend much 

 bevond, unless where there are patches of whins. It is common, 

 and breeds at InvergaiTV, but is not mentioned by Mr. Craig as 

 occurring at Glen Urquhart. 



The Q.S.A. notes them at Grange (Deveron) — a very likely spot 

 about the base of the Knock Hill — and in Kjlmalie parish, on the 



If birds of northern Scandinavia migrate direct upon onr shores, it does seem 

 strange that we do not anywhere within our area — or indeed in Scotland, north, at 

 least, of the Firth of Forth — receive annual flocks of this extremely common 

 Scandinavian species. It is well known how irregularly they visit us in any large 

 numbers. In 1S60-61 immense flights stayed for weeks in the Lothians, and in 

 1S92-93 numbers were seen with Chaffinches and Lapland Buntings along our east 

 coast ; and while most abimdant in the south-east counties of England, was observed 

 also as far north as Shetland bv Har^ie-Brown and Mr. Adrian Forrester in October 

 1892. 



In the same way, and in further illustration : — though denominated the Lapland 

 Bunting, the area occupied by the species in the breeding season, we believe, is 

 much vaster east of the White Sea than in the coimtry which gives it its English 

 name. We cannot tliink our occasional visits of the Lapland Bunting are of Scandi- 

 navian origin, but reach us from far farther eastern centres of population, r?a 

 the Bothnian Gulf and Heligoland. The warm coast-line of Western Norway leads 

 the Scandina\"ian population southicard-s. They have no occasion to -^eeJ: still warmer 

 latitudes thence, until, having arrived at the colder continental area opposite Heligo- 

 land, temperature again diverts their couree westward, and they then again travel 

 from colder latitudes to the more genial ones of our isles, i.e. when extremely severe 

 winters reign over the greater part of the continent of Europe. The above notes 

 are thrown out as embodying the conclusions as so far arrived at by us, perfectly 

 subject, however, to correction and further proofs. 



