ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 121 



in the Kirkcudbright Museum. This completes my notes of the 

 winter, so far as they contain anything of importance. ROBERT 

 SERVICE, Maxwelltown. 



Blaek Redstart at Aberdeen. On the 20th of March last a male 

 specimen of the Black Redstart (Ruticilla titys) flew into, and was 

 caught in, a house in Aberdeen, and is now in my possession. This 

 is the first record for the species in Aberdeenshire, so far as I am 

 aware. GEO. SIM, Aberdeen. 



Blackcap in Perthshire in December. I record what I 

 believe to be the unusual appearance of the Blackcap (Sylvia 

 atricapilla\ a female, during December last at the Manse of 

 Kinfauns. The bird has been with us four days now (the 2ist), 

 coming regularly with other birds to be fed at our window. She is 

 very vigorous in fact, she drives off the other birds. We have the 

 Blackcap here occasionally in summer, but I never heard of an 

 instance of its occurrence so far north in winter. RODGER G. 

 DAVIDSON, Kinfauns. 



Chiff-chaff in Barra. A specimen of the Chiff-chaff (Phyllo- 

 scopus rufus) was shot on the island of Barra, Outer Hebrides, 

 on the 1 8th of November 1899; and another example, which 

 accompanied it, was secured two days afterwards, when at roost in a 

 whin. This species is new to the avifauna of the island. Mr. Eagle 

 Clarke has seen one of the specimens, which I have presented to 

 the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art, and he has kindly con- 

 firmed my identification of the species. W. L. MACGILLIVRAY, Barra. 



[The Chiff-chaff has hitherto been very doubtfully recorded for 

 the Outer Hebrides. EDS.] 



Long-eared Owl in Barra. A fine example of the Long-eared 

 Owl (Asio otus) a bird new to the fauna of Barra visited us after 

 a strong S.W. wind on the 28th of October last, and was observed 

 in a willow plantation on the west side of the island. W. L. 

 MACGILLIVRAY, Barra. 



[This species was only doubtfully included for the region in the 

 "Fauna of the Outer Hebrides," 1888; but it was recorded for 

 North Uist, where a specimen was obtained in January 1897, in the 

 "Annals," 1898, p. 50. EDS.] 



lameness of Herons. For some winters past a Heron (Ardea 

 cinerea) has come regularly close to the house here, to where some 

 poultry are fed, often mixing with them, and taking scraps of meat, 

 etc., when thrown to him a short distance away. This winter he 

 has brought a second Heron with him, apparently a younger bird, 

 which is tame, as he usually comes to the food when thrown to 

 him without any fear. One day lately I noticed the old Heron 

 taking a siesta on the topmost lump of a temporary coal-heap. 

 They are rather omnivorous in their tastes, but have a distinct pre- 



