BIRDS. 



215 



of Scotland, but fly up the Tay as far as Perth, or as far as the tide 

 goes, and they are known also to reach even up the river as far as 

 Loch Tay. 



From the north-east Mr. J. Milne writes that they are resident, 

 quoting Col. Drummond Hay, but I cannot say that I am aware of 

 any place where they are actually known to breed. 



These birds are not very often seen along the valley of the Tay 

 except when on wing, but Col. Duthie informs me of his having seen 

 ojie on a stone near Ballathie in September. 



They are also seen on Loch Tummell, and have been reported to 

 breed there on the tower on the small island. But of this fact I 

 require more explicit information than I at present possess, and 

 consider it a very doubtful statement. 



Nor am I aware of any nesting place upon the coast, though 

 there are one or two resting places between Arbroath and 

 Montrose. 



Phalacrocorax graculus (X.). Shag. 



Visitant only to the coast. 



So far as I am able to ascertain, the above constitutes its value in 

 the fauna of Tay and Strathmore just now. 



Col. Drummond Hay had no news of it on the Tay in 1880. 

 But Mr. D. Dewar did shoot one upon Loch Tay in February 

 1896 — the only one he had ever got {in. lit., 27th November 1902). 

 It was an immature specimen. I am aware that the Shag is much 

 less frequently met with on inland waters than its big relation the 

 Cormorant. 



In the north-east Mr. Milne designates this bird as "a visitor 

 to the coast," and gives a reference to the Black Book of Kincardine- 

 shire (q.v.). 



Dr. Dewar gives similar evidence from the Forfar coast. 



I am not aware of any other occurrences of this bird inland 

 except the one given above. And indeed it very rarely visits fresh 

 water at all. And furthermore, as noted by Millais, the compara- 

 tively few that A-isit the estuaries of the Eden and Tay are mostly, if 

 not entirely, immature birds. Millais says: "I have never seen an 

 old bird there; always immature specimens." 



Similarly, on the coast of Fife it is only spoken of as a winter 

 visitor. 



