BIRDS. 



91 



I just wish to add that the late Mr. J. Young, who left me all his 

 MS. journals and his collection of eggs, also observed the Marsh-Tit 

 at Dunblane (Forth) — as might be well expected — but he has no 

 notes of it in Speyside at any localities ; thus, I think, showing how 

 restricted its dispersal there still was when he so often visited that 

 fine country. I may add also that it always had escaped my own 

 observation in Speyside, and so far as we know, Aviemore is still its 

 local habitat. It may be that, like the Speyside Squirrels, a great 

 reiival may occur in time, as indeed there is abundance of evidence 

 that something similar has taken place with its more pine-loving 

 relative, the Crested Tit. 



I consider it almost quite unnecessary to speak at all of it in the 

 east, but I may just say that the Rev. Mr. M'Connochie writes as 

 follows: "I have never met with it in any part of the county 

 {i.e. Forfar), though I am familiar with it on Speyside." 



On September 20, 1905, I learned from a local observer that he 

 had seen five of tliese birds near Dalguise on Tay, and this, if quite 

 correct, is confirmative of the previously mentioned obsers'ations of Mr. 

 Bruce Campbell, and the early statement of Mr. Booth given above. 

 There may now become (what must, I think, be looked upon, if it 

 develops, as a recuperation and rehabilitation) an increase, slow at 

 its early sta,ges, but increasing in strength, especially if the colonies, 

 north or south, combine and introduce new blood and vigour. 



Parus caeruleus, L. Blue Tit. 



Eesident. Common. Breeds. Universal distribution over all suitable 

 ground in plain or valley, but less general far up the valleys, and 

 more local there. 



Speaking of certain damages done to pears in gardens and orchards 

 by Titmice, we certainly suffered considerable annoyance from having 

 our jargonelles and some other kinds of pears — ripe and even unripe 



who first discovered the isolated colony near Aviemore on Speyside, had, at Mr. 

 Hartert's request, sent him all his specimens from Forth and Moray, and the 

 following is the communication he received in return (received by Mr, Evans on 12th 

 June 1905): "I was more surprised than ever," Mr. Hartert says, "when I found 

 that your supposed Parus jt^^lustris dresseri had nothing to do with it, but were the 

 Willow-Tit [Panis montaniis, Kleinschmidt, or incorrectly called P. salicarivs), hitherto 

 not known north of Middlesex (near London)." Mr. Evans adds: "One of these 

 birds was the example named Pariis dresseri by Dr. Sharpe." 



I do not pretend to split any more Scottish variations oflF the stock, but it might be 

 of interest to Mr. Hartert further to consider the effects of isolation of the separate 

 colonies of these birds, as I have endeavoured to describe in these pages. 



