﻿BIRDS. 
  

  

  161 
  

  

  We 
  found 
  the 
  Partridge 
  common 
  about 
  Aberlour 
  on 
  Spey 
  in 
  

   May 
  1884. 
  We 
  have 
  met 
  with 
  stray 
  pairs 
  and 
  coveys 
  as 
  far 
  above 
  

   the 
  sea 
  as 
  Tomintoul 
  and 
  in 
  other 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  Cam 
  districts. 
  

   They 
  bred 
  at 
  Dalwhinnie 
  — 
  supposed 
  to 
  be 
  for 
  the 
  first 
  time 
  — 
  in 
  

   1885. 
  A 
  few 
  are 
  found 
  in 
  Glen 
  Fiddich, 
  and 
  they 
  are 
  vouched 
  

   for 
  at 
  Tomatin 
  (Findhorn) 
  by 
  Mr. 
  M'Bean 
  of 
  Tomatin. 
  Common 
  

   and 
  abundant 
  still 
  in 
  some 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  Laigh 
  of 
  Moray, 
  notwith- 
  

   standing 
  the 
  raids 
  by 
  poachers, 
  and 
  very 
  fond 
  of 
  the 
  broomy 
  

   knowes 
  along 
  certain 
  portions 
  of 
  Speyside 
  and 
  Strathspey, 
  espe- 
  

   cially 
  about 
  Grantown. 
  Backhouse, 
  in 
  1891, 
  heard 
  one 
  calling 
  

   close 
  to 
  Loch 
  Errochd. 
  

  

  A 
  pair 
  of 
  Partridges 
  breed 
  every 
  year 
  as 
  far 
  up 
  Glen 
  Avon 
  as 
  

   Inchrory, 
  but 
  do 
  not 
  increase 
  (Hinxman). 
  

  

  Partridges 
  are 
  not 
  reported 
  to 
  be 
  so 
  numerous 
  as 
  over 
  the 
  

   watershed 
  into 
  Ythan 
  and 
  Dee 
  and 
  Don-side, 
  but 
  occur 
  in 
  the 
  

   usual 
  proportions 
  between 
  the 
  highly 
  cultivated 
  areas 
  and 
  lower 
  

   reaches, 
  and 
  the 
  higher-lying 
  hill-sides, 
  whether 
  cultivated 
  or 
  not. 
  

   1891 
  and 
  1892 
  were 
  bad 
  breeding 
  seasons. 
  Dr. 
  J. 
  0. 
  Wilson 
  speaks 
  

   of 
  the 
  Partridge 
  as 
  nearly 
  exterminated 
  at 
  one 
  time 
  by 
  severe 
  

   winters, 
  but 
  now 
  again 
  abundant 
  in 
  the 
  neighbourhood 
  of 
  Huntly. 
  

  

  The 
  variety 
  or 
  so-called 
  Perdix 
  montana 
  of 
  Jardine 
  (vide 
  

   Naturalist's 
  Library 
  : 
  British 
  Ornitlwlogy, 
  vol. 
  iv.) 
  has 
  occurred 
  

   near 
  Portsoy, 
  where 
  two 
  were 
  shot 
  by 
  General 
  Shaw, 
  1 
  and 
  were 
  

   preserved 
  by 
  him 
  ; 
  and 
  another 
  is 
  in 
  the 
  Museum 
  at 
  Banff. 
  Mr. 
  

   J. 
  Grant 
  of 
  Glen 
  Grant 
  also 
  reported 
  to 
  Mr. 
  J. 
  G. 
  Millais 
  that 
  

   there 
  was 
  an 
  undoubted 
  hybrid 
  between 
  a 
  Grouse 
  and 
  a 
  Partridge 
  

   in 
  the 
  possession 
  of 
  Mr. 
  Allan 
  of 
  Elgin 
  (vide 
  Millais, 
  Game 
  Birds 
  

   and 
  Shooting 
  Sketches, 
  p. 
  60). 
  We 
  suspect 
  this 
  will 
  turn 
  out 
  to 
  be 
  

   the 
  variety 
  Perdix 
  montana. 
  

  

  Coturnix 
  communis, 
  Bonnat. 
  Quail. 
  

  

  North 
  of 
  the 
  Great 
  Glen 
  Quails 
  have 
  been 
  obtained 
  as 
  far 
  north 
  as 
  

   Brora, 
  and 
  also 
  in 
  the 
  neighbourhood 
  of 
  Dornoch, 
  and 
  the 
  nest 
  

   has 
  also 
  been 
  found 
  in 
  that 
  district. 
  

  

  Macleay 
  told 
  us 
  that 
  Lady 
  Ross 
  turned 
  out 
  Quails 
  at 
  Balna- 
  

   gown. 
  We 
  never 
  heard 
  whether 
  they 
  succeeded 
  or 
  not, 
  or 
  for 
  

  

  1 
  General 
  Shaw 
  was 
  shooting 
  tenant 
  of 
  Xetherdale 
  and 
  also 
  of 
  Glassaugh 
  some 
  

   years 
  ago. 
  

  

  VOL. 
  II.. 
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