BIRDS. 



277 



Edw. B. Nicolson, who lives with me in Edinburgh. Severa 

 more seen in district ; this one set up, and now at Glenbervie. 

 1904. October 4. One seen at Naughton, near Newport, Fife, and fired at by 

 my brother Robert. He is an Engineer on the S. M. R. of India, 

 and lives where quails abound. Identified by him beyond all pos- 

 sibility of doubt so far as he is concerned. Also seen and recognised 

 by another gun, Capt. Hamish Mai tl and of the Rifle Brigade, who 

 had just returned from two years' service in Egypt. 

 About the same time, within a few days or so (8th October), one seen at Errol 

 Park, Perthshire, which lies on the north bank of the Tay, almost 

 opposite Naughton, by the same Capt. Maitland. 

 I enclose the letters in which these events are narrated, in case you may wish 

 to have the most authentic information. I also enclose the slip memo, you 

 sent me. — Yours truly, William Berry. 



Millais merely marks "Quail" as "rare." 



I have no account of it from the parish of Guthrie, nor from any 

 localities around Forfar or that portion of Strathmore. 



Lagopus mutus (Montin). Ptarmigan. 



Abundant. Eesident. Breeds. 



Old Gaelic name, Tarmachan. Often spelled in old Statistical 

 Account " Tarmagan," also " Tarmacks," and " Ptarmachan." 



Localities are mentioned in the old Statistical Account, for instance, 

 " On Ben Chonzie in Perth," etc. (old Statistical Account, vol. vii. p. 572). 



The Ptarmigan occurs frequently on all the high hills of Atholl, 

 Rannoch, and Breadalbane ; on Ben Lawers, Ben More, Schiehallion, 

 etc. 



In the north-east of the Grampian range they are said by some 

 only to appear in winter and in stormy weather as far east as Mount 

 Battock and Cairn a Mount ; but Sim puts its easternmost breeding 

 range as at Mount Battock at the least. 



It nests on Ben Alder and on the Garvel above the Bridge of 

 Gower in Rannoch (Godfrey). Indeed, I know it to breed on all the 

 ranges of the Grampians westwards from Mount Battock, as above 

 indicated, and all through the hills of sufficient altitude across 

 Scotland, making it unnecessary to devote more room to details. 



Above Balnagairn, in Glen Clova, Feilden shot his first Ptarmigan 

 at the age of eleven years, \vith. his father's gun. " Take the gun," 

 said the dad, "cock it, and shoot one of these birds. It is not every 

 boy of eleven that has had such a chance." The gun went off, and 

 one bird was fluttering on its back (1849). 



