18 



MAMMALS. 



1850 anywhere in the valle}^ of the Allan (Forth), nor in other 

 portions of the south of the area or of the county. But there is 

 always a consideration in connection with such returns as are made of 

 these things, and that is : — In how far can estate returns be entirely 

 depended upon ? There is no doubt that larger prices can be obtained 

 from furriers and even collectors for pelts and specimens than are 

 paid by the estates offices. However that may be, when returns are 

 made to estates offices, these are genuine and of recording value. But 

 notwithstanding this long apparent absence from the region just 

 mentioned, it is certain that an example occurred even further to the 

 southward, viz. in the East Lomonds of Fife, as late as 1893, which 

 is still in the possession of my friend Mr. Charles Cook, on whose 

 ground it was obtained, and who recorded it at the time in the Proc. 

 Royal Phys. Soc. Edin. (vol. xi. p. 117). Then comes a record again in 

 Glen Artney, and its reappearance there after many years — already 

 referred to swp'a — and in one or two other parts of south-west Perth- 

 shire. Just prior to 1879 two were heard of on Ben Vorlich, though 

 before this it was believed to have been extinct there for upwards of 

 thirty years. The last of which I have any account Avas killed in 

 the Glen Dochart district on Suie, in 1871, by Mr. Macpherson, game- 

 keeper.^ Just to the south again, and therefore really in Forth, 

 viz. on Stronvar in Balquhidder, one of the two seen on Ben Vorlich 

 was probably accounted for, as recorded in the Field of 17th April 1880. 



Glen Almond and Glen Queich records date back to about 1850, 

 but on Loch Tay Mr. D. Dewar killed a fine male at Finlarig in 1867. 

 None had been seen there, according to Mr. Dewar, since 1840, Avhen 

 he himself got one on Remony. Also a Mr. Mackie, formerly a 

 keeper on Breadalbane, got one about two miles from Loch Tay (?) 

 about 1862, '■^ and people came a long way to see it." In 1868 one was 

 got at Loch Tay, as given in the vermin lists, and one was seen as 

 late as 1879 from time to time quite in the lower straths near 

 Murthly, as I was informed by Dr. Mackintosh, at that time resi- 

 dent at Murthly Asylum as medical superintendent. 



Turning now to a return of vermin killed upon the Perthshire 

 estates of Breadalbane, we find no fewer than 56 Martens were paid 

 for between 1891 and 1901, as follows: In 1891, 9 were got; in 

 1892, 6; 10 in 1893 ; 8 in 1894 ; 9 in 1895; 4 in 1896; 7 in 

 1897 ; 2 in 1898 ; in 1899 ; 1 in 1900 ; and in 1901. 



But in a similar return kindly placed at my disposal by His 

 Grace the Duke of Atholl, for the ten years between the seasons of 



^ More minute particulars, all worked out at the time I wrote the monographic 

 article, will be found detailed there {ZooL, 1882). 



