112 



51r. MaUoeh, of Perth, is also quoted as haTing "freqnentty 

 obso-red it near Methven." (And in this connectiOD see remarks 

 further on in diroiMdogj.) 



At the present time the G<Jdfineh is entitled to be designated 

 fairiv common, bat still rather local in disposal, and breeds in 

 suitable sitoatioos where foond. Indeed, Perthshire may be con 

 sidmed the coitre <tf its pies^t distzibnticni. Horn saw sereral 

 dose to the verandah ol EoDieehassie House, near Aberf eldy, and 

 designated it as "toloablj numerous" in summer. This was at the 

 dose of the eeventiis; and CoL Drummond Hay ^rejoices" in the 

 laet. 



Mr. Mifaie testifies to their abundanee about f<Nrty years ago — say 

 1S65. He spoke of them as " nesting in the gardens," etc. At the 

 pres»it time they are oeeasioni'.T ^r^n at Glenberrie and Dmm- 

 toehty, but Mr. Milne, at the time he wrote me (1904) had not seen 

 one himself for a number years. A young bird, however, was got 

 in Fordoun cburchyard on 26th June 1897. The Eer. Mr. MCJon- 

 noehie has newer met witt it near Guthrie. 



Again recuniii^ : tIt Tay Yalley, diere is evidence of its nest- 

 ing^ w baring be- ' ^en, however, only two pairs 

 were seen (corrKT : t Eev. H. A, Macj^ierscm. He 

 had nothing more : rnt abearance tiiere, though 

 he was resident ttr : : : . r Ms death). 



Inl900Mr.M 1 - about half a mile from 



Stanley,"^ and he adds: "I iiad not seen a Goldfinch lot thirty 

 years befw^L^* 



Mr. Brace (^mpbell teDs me (n. lU^ 38di Fefaniaiy 1901): ^'I 

 have not seen any Giddfinehes about BaDinluig since 1895." He 

 continues fliat he was "almost certain that a pair had a nest in the 

 garden then . . . and 1 saw thCTi daily f (k* a fortnight always about 

 the same ^ot." (Mr. Brace GampbeD do^ not ecdleet rare birds* 

 eggg, which we are g^ad to have been assured.) 



On the Fife side Mr. Brace tdls us : "ThcNig^ not eommon about 

 St Andrews, I have got the nest," and gives the date of 25th May 

 1858. It was in an orehard near Kinness Burn. Other enrespon- 

 dents regard it as resident but not common in north-east Fife. 



liGIla^ writing in 1905 from his notes of some years ago, says : 

 " A rare and vanishing species. I used to see from one to two pairs 

 every year about the asylum grounds at Murthfy. When I was a boy 

 thev frequented KinnoaD Hill in small numbers, but now they have 

 quite disa^earf ^ The last I saw was shot by me with a catsuit. 



