294: 



BIEDS. 



on the borders and watersheds of Deveron and Spey ; and in the 

 adjoining area of Dee it is spoken of thus : — ' Of late years, in the 

 month of November, Bullfinches make their appearance and con- 

 tinue through the winter ' (O.S.A., parish of Strichen, Aberdeen, 

 vol. vii. p. 419). Edward includes it, and so does Rev. A. Smith, 

 and there are specimens in the Banff Museum, amongst these latter 

 a peculiar variety, described by Gray. 



Of later years a marked increase of this species has taken place, 

 though there is no doubt that when larch, birch, alder, and other 

 buds begin to appear, Bullfinches are more commonly obsers ed, as 

 they come out of the larger woods at that season. In 1844 it was 

 spoken of as ' much more common than the Goldfinch,' so that at 

 that time they were actually considered in comparison. Needless 

 to say, no comparison is necessary now, Norman spoke of the 

 Bullfinch as * very common and breeding ' about Forres. ^Ir. Sim 

 speaks of it as common about Turrifi' thirty years ago (1860). 



At the present day it occurs quite too generally and quite too 

 abundantly to make it necessary to specify localities. It is found 

 over the whole wooded area, and occasionally as far up the Truim 

 as Dalwhinnie (J. Backhouse), and far above Tomatin on the 

 Findhom. 



Loxia curvi rostra, L. Crossbill. 



The Crossbill is one of those birds that is increasing enormously, and 

 this is, of course, easily accounted for by the immense tracts re- 

 cently planted with the difierent species of pines. There is not a 

 place known to us in the north of our area where, if the fir-trees 

 are of a sufficient size, these birds have not been observed. We 

 believe that many collectors of eggs in former years were indebted 

 to Macdonald of Balnagown, Eoss-shire, for providing them with 

 eggs and nests of this species : the bird is as common there as ever 

 it was. 



They are common in the south-east of the county of Sutherland, 

 and we have eggs from that district in our collection. About fifty 

 years ago — 1840 — they appeared at Rosehall, but only for a short 

 time ; they then entirely disappeared (fide ^lacleay, V, Fauna of 

 Sutherland and Caithness, p. 134). 



From a note received from Dr. Joass, Golspie, it appears 



