MAMMALS. 



49 



at its position. He made for, and safely reached, the shore. This 

 was at Stobhall. 



Since I wrote my monograph I have also seen a Squirrel make 

 the attempt to swim across the Forth near Kippen, a little to the 

 west of the Bridge of Frew. Failing in its first attempt owing 

 to my presence on the bank he wished to reach, he desisted. I 

 "skugged" until he thought the coast clear, and then, after much 

 hesitation at different places, at last swam OA^er, and landed safely 

 not very far from where I was hiding. 



The latest to date note I can add is quoted from the Glasgow 

 Herald, and refers to a more northern area (Moray), viz. "At a 

 meeting of the Eoss-shire Squirrel Club it was reported that during 

 the past year (1904) 3988 Squirrels were killed on the estates of 

 members, as against 4727 the previous year. A proposal to extend 

 the area of the Club, fixing the Caledonian Canal as a southern 

 boundary, was approved, if the proprietors of the estates in Inver- 

 ness agreed." Alas ! few besides sentimentalists, I fear, can be 

 expected to say many good words for poor "Sknggie." 



Casitor fiber, L. Beabcr. 



Giraldus has it that the European Beaver was found on one river only 

 in Scotland, and Hector Boece (1526) speaks of it as frequenting 

 Loch Ness ; but Dr. Eobert Brown throws doubt upon that state- 

 ment (cf. Harting, p. 41), because no mention appears in an Act 

 dated 1424, which, however, alludes to " mertricks, foumarts, otters, 

 and toddis." But again there seems to be acceptance in there being 

 an old Gaelic name for it of the "Dobhran loslethan," or Broad- 

 tailed Otter. The Rev. Dr. Stewart, of Luss, also a most excellent 

 Gaelic scholar, mentions a tradition regarding the occurrence at 

 one time of this animal in Lochaber. 



The brothers Stuart, also excellent Gaelic scholars, or at least 

 who spoke it as their native tongue, believed in its previous presence 

 under the name of "Dobhar Chu" {i.e. Water Dog), a name, how- 

 ever, about which there may well be doubtful application. 



Of actual Tay localities the Loch of Marlee, Kinloch, may be 

 instanced. (See Dr. C. Wilson, On the Prior Existence of Castor fiber in 

 Scotland, and Dr. Neill, in the Memoirs of the Wernerian Societij (1821, 

 p. 207). 



On the re-introduction into the island of Bute I do not enter here, 

 as that will, no doubt, come to have its history fully written when 

 the Vertebrate Fauna of Clyde is finished. 



D 



