150 



BIRDS. 



greatest enemies to the pigeon-houses." I do not remember having 

 ever had this statement confirmed. 



Though not common apparently in the north-east and north side of 

 Fife at the present time, yet it seems to exist on sufFrance in the 

 Carse of Gowrie. My friend, Mr. James Davidson, was present when 

 a Jay was shot at Kinfauns, and he was told on that occasion that at 

 least one brood had been reared there in the summer of 1904, and for 

 several years previouslj^ Also, Mr. Stuart Gray saw several at 

 Rossie Priory two or three days before this one was shot (Dec. 1904, 

 say), but they were not known to breed there. Their distribution, 

 however, appears to extend all along the Carse of Gowrie, though 

 nowhere perhaps very abundantly. 



The Rev. Mr. M'Connochie speaks of the Jay at the present time 

 as " exterminated," i.e. in his immediate neighbourhood. About 

 fifteen to twenty years ago several pairs inhabited Monteathmont 

 moor — or the woods adjoining — but most of them were poisoned soon 

 after. There are still some Jays in the country further east. 



Dr. Dewar adds the information that about eleven years ago — say 

 1891 or thereby — at Noranside, near Glen Ogil (Forfarshire), the 

 bodies of a considerable number of Jays had been fixed up by the 

 keeper against his shed. Dr. Dewar then adds : " I have not seen 

 Jays alive." 



Pica rustica (Scop.). Magpie. 



Old Gaelic name, Fioghaid (old Statistical Account, xvii. p. 372). 

 Resident. Common. Decreasing. 



Once abundant, but now much reduced in numbers (Col. 

 Drummond Hay, 1878). 



In 1879 Horn says : "Formerly common in Strath Tay and near 

 Pitlochry, but now seldom seen. The only district where it is seen 

 regularly is in Glen Quoich, near Amulree." 



By 1896 Mr. J. Milne tells me there are still a few in the east of 

 Forfar, but it is " not so abundant as formerly." 



At the date of 1892 Mr. D. Dewar tells me the Magpie is 

 "quite extinct around Remony, Loch Tay" (in lit., 27th Nov. 1902), 

 "but Jays are still common. But I learn that they are still in 

 considerable numbers, but quite locally, in the east in 1904. There 

 are still a few where game is not quite so strictly preserved. In fact, 

 their increase or decrease appears to be almost entirely dependent 

 upon the circumstances of game-preserving." 



Breadalbane vermin lists yield 190 Magpies, and they now appear 



