BIRDS. 



79 



them. The experience of any one naturalist who has studied these little 

 birds at their homes is in such cases worth a score of observations by those 

 who have not had such opportunities. Though I refuse to admit the species 

 to this fauna, I do not refrain from quoting the following, because I know the 

 gentleman who believed he heard its call-note was one who had been accus- 

 tomed to meet with it abroad, or at least had had the necessary experience 

 to enable him to set it down, whether he was correct or not in this instance. 

 The late Eev. H. A. Macpherson wrote under date of 19th November 1900, 

 in his notes in his seven-volume copy of the last edition of Yarrell's British 

 Birds, now in the Carlisle Museum, as follows : — 



"I heard, as I thought, the call-note of R. ignicapillus. It sounded strong 

 and clear, and awoke old memories. But the afternoon was far advanced, and 

 the light had faded. Thi-ee birds flew out of a fir and perched on a bare twig 

 at the summit of one of the laburnums, looking almost as large as Cole-Tits. 

 They called again, and then flew into the firs behind the coach-house. It 

 was growing dark, and it was impossible to follow them up." This was at 

 Pitlochry. 



Dr. T. F. Dewar's correspondent, Mr. Larnach, appears to have great con- 

 fidence in its occasional occurrence near Arbroath, but, while not denying the 

 possibility, I am strongly of the opinion that these, if thoroughly investi- 

 gated, would, like nine-tenths of other records, turn out to be merely bright 

 examples of the male Goldcrest. In the same way the Firecrest was 

 confidently recorded as having been seen and watched at the distance of only 

 two yards on the level, but the observer does not accentuate his discovery by 

 indicating the truest and most distinct marlc which is known as one of the 

 features which best distinguishes it from its smaller congener. I can only repeat, 

 where such closely allied forms come up for record, and where they are of 

 such extremely rare visitation to this country, though seeing may be believ- 

 ing, abilities have to be believed in too ; and in all similar cases " a bird in 

 the hand is worth twenty in the bush," though even misidentifications can be 

 made in the hand also.] 



Phylloscopus collybita {Vieill.). Chiffchaff. 



The remarks upon the occurrences of this species were quite to the 

 purpose when Col. Drummond Hay wrote on the ornithology of the 

 Tay basin, practically disposing of all previous records or statements. 

 Thus Mr. Thomas Eedle stated that Chiffchaffs were common in 

 April at Loch Rannoch in 1870, and this statement was again quoted 

 by Horn. 



In the south Col. Campbell puts on record that he was accustomed 

 to see it every spring and autumn in the grounds of the prison at 

 Perth ("On Some Prison Birds," Trans. Perth. Soc. Nat. Science, vol. 

 iii. p. 97). 



Mr. Marshall, Stanley, reported it as occurring near that locality. 



