BIRDS. 



77 



ill Kincardine Glen, near Auchterarder, on the confines of Forth, on 

 13th July, and again on the Earn on the 15th, and on the same date 

 heard it singing among some fruit-trees between Kinnoul and Perth. 



Actual nesting of the species within our boundaries is recorded, 

 following upon the above, by Mr. T. B. Dobbie in the same year 

 (viz. 1896), which will be found duly given in the Zoologist of that 

 year (pp. 23-4). He wrote me lately that he had never seen nor 

 heard the bird again in the same district, but then his opportunities 

 have not been so great as formerly. 



Regarding its presence in the more easterly portions of Strath- 

 more, Dr. T. F. Dewar considers its occurrence as doubtful, and 

 he "certainly has no recent record." "Nay," he adds, "more than 

 doubtful." 



In more westerly districts it appears only lately to have penetrated 

 within our boundaries. In 1903 there Avas no record of it about the 

 west end of Loch Earn, though confidently expected and looked for 

 by Mr. Godfrey. But in the following year that gentleman found 

 two pairs breeding at the head of the loch (1904), one nest containing 

 three young and one addled egg, and another with one fresh egg. 

 The first was found upon the 18th June, and the second upon 

 the 4th July. 



Evans found two singing at Dunevis near Kenmore, May 23, 1892, 

 and one singing at Letterellen, near Fearnan, on May 27. 



Millais has no remarks to make about this bird, and personally I 

 have had no opportunities of observing it in Tay. 



Mr. Berwick speaks of it as "very rare" in north-east Fife, and quotes 

 Mr, Bruce's account of its nesting among nettles near St. Andrews (?). 



But Mr. P. I). Malloch (vivd, voce) speaks of it — to me — as " abun- 

 dant as long as he can remember." Ornithologists require much 

 more exactness — scientific exactness — ho^^'ever, in such matters. 



ulus cristatus, Koch. Golden-crested Wren. 



Resident. Common. Breeds. Not truly gregarious. 



Of the earlier dispersal of the Golden-crested Wren there are 

 difficulties in the way of tracing its steps. Whether the older writers 

 were correct or not (and who shall decide 1), I think in a strictly 

 chronological account they are worthy of notice. It would be 

 interesting to know (if such material is available) whether any vast 

 northward dispersal has taken place, say within the last century, 

 upon the continent of Europe. The unanimity among the old 

 writers about its rarity at least is deserving of consideration. 



