262 



BIRDS. 



In 1885 a pair were presented to the Perth Museum on the 12th 

 November, obtained at Blairhoyle (Forth) by Mr. 0. A. J. Lee. (I 

 only mention it here as useful in the matter of continuity of dispersal.) 



Mr. Marshall speaks of it as having been principally observed 

 about Stanley during the last twenty years, which, taken back from 

 the date of his communication (2nd February 1901), would be begun 

 about 1881; and he adds, "It is apparently becoming common." 

 Specimens in his collection date — ''Male. Stobhall, 17th May 1884, 

 got by Thos. Campbell " ; and " Male. Ferneyhill, Stanley, 6th May 

 1893, by David Fenton." i 



No satisfactory evidence had reached me of its occurrence in 

 Kincardineshire to date of my paper in 1882 ; but Mr. Simpson 

 wrote me in 1899 that "Mr. Milne (Auchenblae) had got the eggs 

 in Fordoun Parish." Except this, I have no corroboration of its 

 appearance even yet in that county. And even this hardly bears 

 scrutiny, because Mr. Milne himself Avrote me after that date (of 

 Mr. Simpson's writing) that he — Mr. Milne — "had not been able to 

 identify one ! " Auchenblae, as already said, is about ten miles inland 

 from the coast-line of Kincardineshire. 



It would appear with considerable clearness that a somewhat 

 curious check upon their advance or arrival upon this east coast 

 has taken place to localities south of the dividing range of the 

 Grampians.2 



Of its advance north along our east coasts I will speak further 

 on ; and, having respect to the evident check which is shown in 

 Kincardineshire and East Forfar, where it is suflBcient now to point 

 out it has not yet— in 1905 — taken firm hold, though it took 

 possession of St. Fergus Links (Dee) as early as 1883 ! 



Of its advances more to the inland portions of our area, though 

 gradual or less noticed (?), a steady if slower habitation there has 

 been accomplished. As a rule, both old and young leave these inland 

 sites so soon as the young are able to fly and look after their own 

 interests. About this time old and young repair to the Carse-lands ; 

 and a very patent increase takes place of the numbers seen at these 

 better feeding-grounds on the Carse-farms. But in the course of 

 ^ Mr. W. Evans gives much earlier nesting data of Stock-Doves in Scotland at Dalkeith 

 Park (Forth) and in rocks on the river Esk, ISTJ: {Annals Scot. Nat. Hist., 1896, p. 253). 

 I see no reason to doubt the accuracy of his correspondent's information ; and, no doubt, 

 when he comes to adduce all his statistics, Mr. Evans will, in his own good time, tell 

 U3 still more about it in districts south of the Firths of Forth and Clyde. 



To the north again they reappear, as Mr. Sim shows in his Fauna, of Dee, which 

 it may well be desirable to consult here. 



