ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 119 



more have in all probability escaped notice, and it is to be hoped 

 the gun. The first Scottish visitor was shot at Barra on i5th 

 December, and another was seen on Christmas Day ; another was 

 observed near Inverbroom, West Ross-shire, late in December ; an 

 adult female was shot near Pitlochry on 4th January ; an adult 

 male was shot near Blairgowrie on 23rd January; two were seen at 

 the Flannan Islands, one in December, and the second on 25th 

 January; another is said to have been shot on Schiehallion, "early in 

 the year," and lastly one was seen in South Uist during most of 

 January ; making nine birds in all. For the above information 

 we are indebted to Lady Fowler, Mr. W. L. MacGillivray, Mr. T. G. 

 Laidlaw, and Mr. Robert Anderson. J. A. HARVIE-BROWN and 

 WM. EAGLE CLARKE. 



Bittern in Fife. A very fine specimen of a male bittern 

 (Botaums stellaris] was taken near Cupar, Fife, on iith January 

 last. Mr. Adam Paterson, gamekeeper to Mr. Home-Rigg of Tarvit, 

 was looking for duck on the bank of the Eden about half a mile 

 below the town, between three and four in the afternoon, when a 

 large bird rose suddenly. He fired and winged it. The bittern 

 was most pugnacious, and struck out at the gamekeeper with its long, 

 sharp bill, missing his eye by an inch. The specimen has been set 

 up by Messrs. Small & Son, Edinburgh, who say it is the finest 

 bittern they have had through their hands. HENRY H. BROWN, 

 Cupar. 



Long-tailed Duck near Gretna, Dumfriesshire. An adult 

 male was killed by a fisherman on 2nd November 1909. It is in 

 remarkably full winter plumage, and is now in the Tullie House 

 Museum, Carlisle, as I am informed by the curator, Mr. L. E. 

 Hope. HUGH S. GLADSTONE, Thornhill, Dumfriesshire. 



Stock Dove in Dee. Mr. A. Macdonald, Durris, informs me 

 that the Stock Dove has nested now 1909 for two years, in 

 the Parish of Banchory Ternan, and he himself has found the 

 broken egg-shells in the hole in the rock where they breed. J. A. 

 HARVIE-BROWN. 



Hybrid Blackcock and Capercaillie in Kineardineshire. In 



1906 a brood of these hybrids was reared close to Fasque, Laurence- 

 kirk. The Capercaillie hen (the mother) was frequently seen with 

 her progeny, which is confidently stated by the gamekeeper on the 

 beat to have consisted of four cocks and three hens. These have 

 since been accounted for as follows: iSth January 1907 One 

 male was killed, and is now stuffed and in the possession of Sir 

 John Gladstone at Fasque. i9th December 1907 One male 

 and one female were shot. The male is now in the possession of 

 Lieut.-Col. C. J. Cotes, at Pitchford Hall, Shropshire. The female 

 was unfortunately not preserved. One male was picked up dead 



