BIRDS. 



110 



the authority of the late Mr. Booth, and as quoted by Horn (see 

 Booth's Rough Notes, etc.) ; but I fear this must remain a great 

 uncertainty, in absence of any other evidence at present. 



The movements of Bramblings appear to be greatly dependent 

 upon the varying supplies of food, and possibly the future dispersal 

 is also similarly dependent on food supplies, and the areas which 

 are so affected by seasonal abundance or scarcity. Meantime I 

 believe that the Brambling is a pretty constant visitant to our 

 country, but that its numbers are to a considerable extent 

 influenced by meteorological conditions and also the state of the 

 climate of Northern Europe in different seasons. At the present 

 time it reaches well across Scotland, and of late years has crossed 

 over in flocks to Argyll, and appeared in numbers at Loch Awe. 

 and I have a first record of it having been found as far west as the 

 Island of Mull in 1904, from Mr. D. Mackenzie of Tobermory (in. lit., 

 December 23, 1904). In the winter of 1860-1, I can well remember 

 that they appeared in vast flocks around Edinburgh, and were to be 

 found all over the district at the same time that immense flights of 

 AYood-Pigeons occurred in the Lothians, and along our east coasts. 

 1860-1 was a winter of extreme severity. Some of us — Merchiston 

 boys — shot numbers of these Pigeons with the headmaster's gun, 

 and many specimens of Bramblings with our catapults (and, entre 

 nous, pistols), and even, in order to obtain specially fine examples, 

 used brandified wheat-corns in the poultry yards with infinite 

 amusement; because we succeeded in filling the cocks and hens 

 also full of the intoxicant, and enjoy ed^ — as hoys can— the fun of 

 seeing half of the birds in ecstacies. Riddle-traps also were success- 

 fully used, and altogether we secured a very fine series of Bramblings 

 for our respective embryo collections. 



Similar reports of their unusual numbers were sent from the 

 Humber (Cordeaux), and from the Tay and Carse of Gowrie by 

 Col. Drummond Hay. 



1864 was also a great Brambling year, but scarcely equal to the 

 year 1860-1. Beech-mast was again very abundant. But I am not 

 aware that any notable Brambling year has occurred since, which 

 could be said to compare with those already mentioned. 



Mr. Milne tells me that there has indeed been unusual scarcity of 

 the species in the east of our area since March 1899, when an 

 unusually severe storm overtook them, and a great number perished. 

 I once felt very certain of the occurrence of a pair of Bramblings 

 apparently nesting in a wood upon my own ground at Quarter, 



