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  THE 
  VEETEBEATE 
  FAUNA 
  OF 
  " 
  DEE." 
  

  

  Strathdon, 
  is 
  mentioned: 
  "The 
  Black-cap 
  (Sylvia 
  atricapilla) 
  

   very 
  rare." 
  "A 
  pair 
  seen 
  near 
  Bucksburn 
  House, 
  sitting 
  on 
  

   a 
  low 
  dyke, 
  August 
  1st, 
  1875." 
  (Mr. 
  A. 
  M'Pherson's 
  MS.) 
  

  

  Sylvia 
  hortensis, 
  Bechstein. 
  Garden 
  Warbler. 
  

  

  A 
  specimen 
  of 
  this 
  species, 
  so 
  rare 
  in 
  the 
  north, 
  was 
  shot 
  

   by 
  W. 
  Davidson, 
  keeper, 
  within 
  the 
  grounds 
  of 
  Seaton 
  House, 
  

   in 
  1865, 
  and 
  brought 
  by 
  him 
  to 
  me 
  upon 
  the 
  same 
  day. 
  The 
  

   bird 
  had 
  frequented 
  the 
  bushes 
  along 
  the 
  edge 
  of 
  the 
  Don 
  

   and 
  near 
  Davidson's 
  house 
  for 
  several 
  days 
  before 
  he 
  shot 
  it, 
  

   its 
  song 
  having 
  attracted 
  his 
  notice. 
  The 
  specimen 
  is 
  still 
  

   in 
  my 
  possession. 
  " 
  Bred 
  at 
  Drum, 
  and 
  seen 
  at 
  Cherryvale, 
  

   Aberdeen, 
  by 
  the 
  late 
  Dr. 
  Dickie." 
  (J. 
  Taylor's 
  MS.) 
  Mr. 
  

   Waters, 
  naturalist, 
  Aboyne, 
  informed 
  me 
  that 
  he 
  " 
  stood 
  

   within 
  four 
  yards 
  of 
  a 
  Garden 
  Warbler 
  beside 
  Aboyne 
  

   Castle." 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  can 
  only 
  be 
  looked 
  upon 
  as 
  an 
  accidental 
  and 
  

   irregular 
  visitor 
  to 
  " 
  Dee." 
  It 
  is 
  said 
  by 
  Selby 
  to 
  " 
  occur 
  

   throughout 
  the 
  greater 
  part 
  of 
  Scotland." 
  Subsequent 
  

   observation 
  has 
  not 
  substantiated 
  this 
  assertion. 
  

  

  Genus 
  EEGULUS, 
  Cuvier. 
  

  

  Regulus 
  cristatus, 
  Koch. 
  Goldcrest. 
  

  

  Resident 
  ; 
  breeding 
  freely 
  in 
  most 
  woods 
  throughout 
  

   " 
  Dee." 
  Although 
  this 
  beautiful 
  little 
  bird 
  is 
  able 
  to 
  with- 
  

   stand 
  the 
  winter 
  blasts 
  of 
  our 
  rather 
  exposed 
  eastern 
  coast, 
  

   yet, 
  in 
  its 
  autumnal 
  migration 
  from 
  more 
  northern 
  regions, 
  

   the 
  mortality 
  in 
  its 
  ranks 
  is 
  very 
  great 
  indeed. 
  Along 
  the 
  

   coast 
  of 
  " 
  Dee," 
  Goldcrests 
  are 
  in 
  some 
  seasons 
  seen 
  flying 
  

   in 
  almost 
  continuous 
  flight 
  for 
  many 
  hours 
  together. 
  On 
  

   such 
  occasions, 
  when 
  the 
  wind 
  blows 
  strongly 
  from 
  the 
  

   north-east, 
  many 
  are 
  driven 
  from 
  their 
  course 
  and 
  are 
  often 
  

   found 
  in 
  the 
  streets 
  and 
  by-lanes 
  of 
  Aberdeen 
  in 
  numbers. 
  

   At 
  other 
  times, 
  when 
  the 
  wind 
  is 
  adverse, 
  they 
  are 
  compelled 
  

   to 
  rest 
  on 
  passing 
  vessels 
  and 
  open 
  boats, 
  on 
  which 
  they 
  

   alight 
  often 
  never 
  to 
  rise 
  again. 
  They 
  also 
  frequently 
  fly 
  

   against 
  lighthouses, 
  and 
  are 
  killed. 
  

  

  