ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 49 



Arthur Adie found the bird dead on the top of a wall there. It was 

 sent to Lerwick, where it was identified as the Bee-Eater (Merops 

 apiaster). The only specimen recorded as having been got in Scot- 

 land was one shot in the Mull of Galloway in October 1832. The 

 bird is from ten to eleven inches long, and the plumage is exceedingly 

 pretty. The Bee-Eater was sent down to Mr. John Irvine, who is 

 having it stuffed. -"Shetland Times," loth June 1899. 



[This bird has been seen or captured on about six occasions in 

 Scotland. EDS.] 



The Long-eared Owl in Islay.- As there is no later record of 

 the occurrence of the Long-eared Owl (Asia otis] in Islay than 

 that contained in Harvie-Brown and Buckley's " Fauna of Argyll," 

 in which there is an allusion to one having been shot on the island 

 in February 1853, it may be interesting to state that a young male 

 of this species was brought to me by Peter Currie, crofter, on i4th 

 October last, which he had found in a trap at Duich Lotts. The 

 bird was alive when found, but dead and too much damaged to set 

 up nicely when I got it. It was sent on to Mr. John Paterson, 

 Glasgow, by whom the identification has been confirmed. It is 

 noteworthy that the find occurred on bare, peaty moorland, miles 

 away from any kind of plantation or cover, such as this species 

 usually frequents. THOMAS F. GILMOUR, Port Ellen, Islay. 



Forth. An Old Record of the Kite in Fifeshire. My friend 

 Colonel H. W. Feilden has lately placed in my hands an interesting 

 old letter, which, amongst other items, contains a record of the Kite 

 (MiZvits ictinus) in the county of Fife. The letter is dated from 

 Cambo House, 22nd August 1844, and is from William Leyland 

 Feilden the present Baronet who, at the time he wrote it, was 

 nine years old. Colonel Feilden adds that : " There is no question 

 about the correct identification of the bird, for it was stuffed and 

 was for years after in my father's collection. The passage in the 

 letter is a short one, and as follows : " James shot a very fine Kite 

 the other day : he had set about a dozen traps for it, and at last he 

 shot it." Colonel Feilden adds: "James, who shot the Kite, was 

 James Forrester, the gamekeeper at Cambo House, Fifeshire." 

 I consider this an interesting record, and I would be pleased if 

 any of our readers could give any earlier or later data of " The Kite 

 in Fifeshire " or " Forth."- -J. A. HARVIE-BROWN. 



Barnacle Goose in the Dornoeh Firth. A Barnacle Goose 

 (Bernida leucopsis) was sent from Tarlogie, near Tain, to Mr. Mackay 

 for preservation on gth November. As far as our present informa- 

 tion goes, it is a rarity in that neighbourhood. T. E. BUCKLEY, 

 Inverness. 



Long-tailed Duck in the Solway District. Again this season I 

 have to record the occurrence of Harelda glacialis in the Solway. 

 33 E 



