146 
BIRDS. 
of part of the north shore and cliff' may, it is possible, still 
discover a pair or two, but we consider this very unlikely. 
124. Nucifraga caryocatactes (X.). Nutcracker. 
125. Garrulus glandarius {L.). Jay. 
[Merely recorded in Ur. Sinclair's List.] 
126. Pica rustica {Scopoli). Magpie. 
Eesident; extremely scarce now in the eastern district, having 
of late years been killed dov/n in the game-preserving in- 
terests; quite common in 1870. We find that, in 1873, 
16 were killed in Dunrobin; in 1874, 26; none again till 
1877, when 2 were killed; in 1878, 2; in 1879, 3; and in 
1880, 5 ; or 56 in six years. Unknown in the west and at 
Tongue among the keepers, except by evil reputation. 
Mr. Osborne records that the magpie is found in wooded situa- 
tions all over the county, and that in the breeding season 
the few trees planted near occasional farm-houses often 
form a domiciliary refuge for a pair of these birds. Near 
Wick they build at Hempriggs, Stirkoke, and at the Mill 
of Watten, and he has known them to build at a farm-house 
not far from the latter place (0. MSS., 1868). Not men- 
tioned by Mr. Eeid as being known to him ; nor did Harvie- 
Brown see it in 1885, so it is probably extinct there now. 
We have a record of three killed on the Dunb^th property 
in 1876 by Mr. Sinclair of Ballantra Cottage. 
127. Corvus monedula, L. Jackdaw. 
Eesident, abundant, and everywhere increasing ; keeping, 
however, near to the coast-line, and seldom venturing far 
inland. The jackdaw is found sparingly at Tongue, but 
has not as yet appeared in the west of the county. 
