218 



BIRDS. 



mentions the Fetteresso and the Inglismaldie Heronries (he. cif.). 

 The year 1865 is my latest positive and recorded date of their con- 

 tinuance at Fetteresso, but I may take it that Mr. Milne gives credit 

 still to their presence in 1900 in his list. 



In 1857 a single nest, according to Mr. Harting, occupied the 

 King's Seat at Dunkeld ; and Mr. Harting put the colony at Blair 

 Castle at from five to seven pairs in 1872. 



At Loch Dochart, or, more correctly, on a peninsula of land 

 Avhich stretches out opposite Loch Dochart House at the lower 

 end of Loch lobhair — which constitutes an extension of Loch 

 Dochart lower down the river Dochart — the Heronry was becoming 

 too populous, and some thinning of the numbers of the colony 

 became necessary. This information was given to me by Mr. 

 Symington Grieve ; but he guards the statement by the added one : 

 " I cannot say whether this is true or not . . . but they are not so 

 numerous as formerly." He continues: "About twelve years ago 

 I counted twenty-six nests, but I could not be sure that all were new 

 nests, and occupied. The birds build so near the tops of the pine- 

 trees, it is dilSicult, if not impossible, to get close to the nests, as the 

 trees are old and very high." Mr. Symington Grieve states further 

 that he had heard a story that an old pair of Herons built sometimes 

 on the trees of the island on Loch Dochart, and also near the foot of 

 the small glen behind the shepherd's house at the foot of Loch 

 Dochart on the north-west side, but I have never seen any nests 

 there, so I cannot confirm the statement. 



That there has been a diminution of the numbers of the Herons 

 nesting at this place, I have the evidence from Mrs. Place, of Glen- 

 dochart, herself that "We have still the Heronry, and this year 

 (1905) it has seven nests in it. It is on the w^ooded peninsula that 

 juts out from our hay-field and loch-shore. Xo one is allowed to 

 land there : our people have orders to turn any one away who comes 

 there with a boat ; but if any one wants to see the Herons' nests, and 

 comes and asks to do so at the house, our man would be pleased to 

 go with them and show them where the nests are." Mrs. Place 

 adds: "It is easy to know at present (June 18, 1905) by the 

 noise, but that will be over soon, as the young birds are getting 

 away," etc. 



The Rev. Mr. M'Connochie informs me that there is "a small 

 Heronry in fir-trees at Monteathmount Moor — probably eight or ten 

 pairs — and increasing. A good many birds come to the streams." 



