ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 113 



ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. 



Polecat (Mu stela pittorius) in Aberdeenshire. In a little glen 

 a few miles from Peterhead, a Polecat (or perhaps a pair) has taken 

 up its winter quarters, and up to this date (December 1893) has 

 eluded the gun and trap. The schoolmaster of the district saw the 

 last one in the parish about ten years ago, and that was on the Ugie 

 bank at the ruins of Ravenscraig Castle. WILLIAM SERLE, Peter- 

 head. 



The Dipper (Cinclusaquaticus) in Barra. When riding, on the 

 25th of January last, accompanied by Mr. William MacGillivray, we 

 observed a Dipper at the side of a loch that bordered on the road. 

 It was quite close to us when observed, and on flying off uttered 

 his lively notes. I have not met with this species either here or 

 in Uist before, although I believe a few have been seen by others. 

 The only other strange visitor that I have seen in Barra this winter 

 was a young Iceland Gull (Larus leucopterus, Faber) on the i4th of 

 December. JOHN MACRURY, Barra. 



Albino Bunting- (Emberiza miliaria) in Aberdeenshire. I saw 



on December 1 2th last an albino specimen of the Common Bunting 

 of which I had been previously told. It was pure white, with the 

 exception of two feathers in the wing, and I am told it is whiter this 

 year than it was last. It has lived continuously in the district of 

 Newseat Station for two years, and is familiar to the work-people on 

 the farm. It reared a brood of young this summer, but her progeny 

 was quite normal in colour. WILLIAM SERLE, Peterhead. 



The Hoopoe (Upupa epops) in West Ross-shire. One day in 



September 1877 I was shore-shooting near Loch Duich, when one 

 of these birds rose in front of my companion, and was shot. It is 

 a great pity that such a fate almost always awaits this beautiful 

 stranger, which would certainly breed in South, if not in North 

 Britain, were it hospitably treated. EDWARD S. MARSHALL. 



Snowy Owl in Shetland. A fine specimen of the Snowy Owl 

 (Nyctea scandiaca) was shot on the 26th of January, near Balta Sound 

 in the island of Unst. It is a considerable time since one of these 

 birds was last seen on the island. Shetland Times, 3rd February, 

 1894. 



Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter nisus) preying 1 upon a Magpie (Pica 

 rustica). While walking down the carriage drive, Dalmeny Park, on 

 the 3rd March, I heard a fluttering of wings under a privet bush. 

 On going forward to the spot, a female Sparrow Hawk made off 

 carrying something heavy in her talons, and flying close to the 

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