272 



BIRDS. 



conditions, at least at the present time, and nowhere is this more 

 e\ident than in some of our western isles and on our milder west 

 coast, and that often where one would least expect them to do so. 

 I may here instance the islands of Raasay, Rum, and Eigg amongst 

 other isles and west-coast localities. 



There is no old true Gaelic name for Pheasant, so far as I am aware. 



The old Statistical Account tells us how the Pheasant was common 

 some years before at Dunkeld, where they had been introduced by 

 the AthoU family; and again: "Attempts have been repeatedly 

 made to propagate Pheasants, but always in vain. When first sent 

 out they are tame and sluggish, and fall an easy prey to foxes, pole- 

 cats, etc., which abound," i.e. in Dunkeld parish (vol. xx. p. 439). 

 But long ago most of these difficulties had been overcome, as is well 

 known to game-preservers and sportsmen. These early attempts 

 at introductions were made about 1793, and the birds were stated to 

 have nearly died out by 1798. 



Obs. — Golden Pheasants, as is well known, have bred wild in 

 several places (i.e. of course from hand-reared birds), amongst others 

 at Drumtochty, etc., and some were still surviving at date of 1896, 

 but I cannot enter here into the introduction of other species. I 

 must leave that history to Mr. Tegetmeyer. Many are mistakes, and 

 none, I fancy, are very acceptable to the present generation of 

 sportsmen, as certainly they are not acceptable to the naturalist 

 unless as aviary birds. They may be handsome, indeed, but some at 

 least are erratic and ^^])oisonous " birds in a preserve. Let us hope 

 they will continue to be kept only in confinement ! 



I may be allowed to mention here that about the same time that 

 Pheasants were introduced at Dunkeld, my grandfather likewise 

 endeavoured to get them acclimatised here, at Dunipace (Forth) ; 

 and I can well remember the aviary which extended round the out- 

 side of the east wing of the old house facing south and east, before 

 that wing was pulled down and a taller addition was made by my 

 father in the year 1857. I w^as always assured by my mother that 

 these were the first attempts made in this county, but in this it is 

 possible I, and she too, may have been mistaken. 



But we can of course go much further back in chronology for 

 evidence of the presence of Pheasants in Scotland. Thus, as early as 

 1594, there was passed a decree for the protection of all the king's 

 "forrestis, parkis, hainings," etc., and of "hartis, hyndys, fallow-deer, 

 pliesant fowlis," etc. : and there were other similar mentions made 

 about that time. 



