BIRDS. 



195 



the end of October, and was got on the banks of the Tay, near Perth. 

 It was sent to Mr. Marsden by a Mr. Macgregor. 



Although frequently shot, and though many are destroyed, the 

 plucky (but naughty) bird holds its own wonderfully in the country 

 still. ^ According to Bruce it used to be — and may still be — common 

 around St. Andrews. He instances quite a number of its nesting 

 places, such as Tentsmuir district, Kinglassie, and Lathoken Point ; 

 and I know some of these were known to the late Mr. J. R. W. Cook 

 (and his son) and Mr. Allan Briggs. I would be sorry to hear of its 

 extinction, but proprietors may perhaps be considered the best judges 

 as to the regulation of their numbers on their own grounds. I speak 

 of owners of lands as a whole class, not of some individuals who own 

 land, and for whose guidance and restraint it may be advisable to 

 issue general laws.- 



Milvus ictinus, Savigny. Kite. 



Old Gaelic name, Clamhan gobhlach and Cronian locJuiidh (old Statistical 

 Account, vol. xvii. p. 248). 



Rare now. Formerly very abundant. Nested. 



Col. Drummond Hay spoke of it in 1880 as "Still a few places 

 where they can rear their young undisturbed."' I do not desire to 

 make any alteration in 1904. But see the warning given under 

 Buzzard, where I have indicated that the name Gled or Glede is often 

 erroneously applied to the Buzzard. I have had numerous accounts 

 sent to me about a great increase of " Gleds *' in several places in 

 Scotland, including the present area, but on investigation most of 

 these turn out to belong to the much more abundant Buzzard 

 distribution. 



In 1813 Don included it without remark thus: Falco rnilvus, 

 the Kite or Gled."' 



In 1865 the late Mr. E. R. Alston records in his journal seeing " an 

 indubitable Kite sailing up the Tay valley above Murthly, which dis- 

 appeared up Strathbraan, on 15th October 1865'" (MS. journals of date). 



^ There is a somewhat interesting note by the Rev. Mr. Lapslie (old Statistical 

 Account, vol. XV. p. .328). He tells us : " Children tame them for pets in Campsie parish, 

 Stirlingshire " (Forth). I take note of this here as an opportunity of draAving attention 

 to Mr. Lapslie's accomplishments as a naturalist of those days, far beyond the most of 

 our old statistical writers, and as worthy of consideration. 



- Seebohm states that the Sparrow-Hawk breeds constantly on " moors along with 

 the Merlin and Kestrel." This is quite new to me, but perhaps the author referred 

 to some other country than Scotland (or Britain ?). I am not aware indeed of any 

 instances, but I do not here trouble to hunt for such, though I am willing to admit 

 that such a departure might take place, and perhaps even constantly in one peculiar 

 breed of Sparrow-Hawks. 



