BIRDS. 



261 



in this place. For such details as were at command in 1883, I refer 

 my readers to the monographic article {ut supra). 



There is a somewhat earlier account of a possible appearance in 

 Fifeshire, if we admit that the species was that species of Dove which 

 nested under furze-bushes, or in the bushes, on Tents Muir as long 

 ago as the sixties. But I have said all I can say as to this under 

 Wood-Pigeon. 



At the date of 1873, as I am informed by Dr. Thomas F. Dewar 

 {in lit.f December 16, 1873), only two had been obtained in the 

 Arbroath district. Even in 1887-8 it was designated "exceedingly 

 rare " in Col. Drummond Hay's paper, and was admitted on the 

 strength of Mr. Brooke's record as above given in the vicinity 

 of Dunkeld. But under date of November 24, 1886, writing to 

 Col. Drummond Hay, Mr. J. Wilson, Coupar Grange, Coupar-Angus, 

 when sending two specimens, mentions that four years ago (say 1882), 

 he "had shot several of them about the same place," viz. in the 

 parish of Bendochty ; but during the three years previous to that 

 (say dating back to 1880 or 1879), when he had just come to the 

 farm of Grange, he had seen none. 



Meantime these birds had become common in the south of 

 Scotland, and especially in Berwickshire ; and as many as five nests 

 were known on the Middleton estate alone (Belford) in 1880. 



As I have said, I am willing to admit a possibly much earlier advent 

 and residence of the Stock-Dove within Tay, but I only pay attention 

 to absolute records, and, so far as I knoiv, such are awanting. 



Thus, it may be absolutely true what Sir James Clarke Rattray told 

 Col. Campbell, viz. that " as long as he can remember he had known 

 the Stock-Dove at Craighall"; so that it "may have been known, 

 though not recorded," long before 1878. So Col. Campbell wrote to 

 me, in lit. September 6, 1899. But, as Col. Campbell adds: "It is 

 most extraordinary that neither Col. Drummond Hay nor myself had 

 heard of it there, though we both have been up to Craighall until the 

 last five or six years" (say till 1894 or 1893). 



However true all the above may be, there can be scarcely any doubt 

 that at last a great and sudden rush took place, and must have been 

 the result of quick and great congestion at former centres, probably 

 both at home and abroad. I will endeavour to show this later. 



I am much obliged to Sir James Clarke Rattray for kindly assisting 

 Mr. Norrie to obtain the accompanying view. The nest was placed 

 close below the terrace of the castle in the face of the rock which 

 overlooks the great gorge of the Ericht river. 



