54 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



Love," was issued in 1886, and was followed a few years later by 

 another volun\e of " Songs and Poems." 



Mr. Wilson was for many years a member of several societies 

 such as the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, the Cryptogamic Society 

 of Scotland, and the Highland and Agricultural Society. His 

 sensitive and retiring disposition made it necessary to know him for 

 some time before his merits could be appreciated ; but by all those 

 who had the pleasure of sufficiently intimate acquaintance he was 

 much esteemed and is greatly missed. He was indeed one of the 

 best type of the union of the field-naturalist and scientific agriculturist, 

 combined with a strong bent to poetry and philosophical speculation. 



Rev. George Gordon, M.A., LL.D. We have to record, with 

 the deepest regret, the death of this venerable and distinguished 

 naturalist, at the advanced age of 92 years, on the i2th of 

 December last. Dr. Gordon has been inseparably associated 

 with the promotion of the Natural History of the North of Scot- 

 land for nearly three-quarters of a century, and we hope to give 

 some account of his great worth and labours in the cause of science 

 in the April number of the ' Annals.' 



ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. 



Early appearance of the Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris). On the 



24th of September last, Mr. Eagle Clarke and I saw a specimen of 

 this bird, the earliest that it has ever been our fortune to come 

 across in the autumn. It was in company with Missel Thrushes and 

 Blackbirds in a meadow adjoining a plantation near the base of 

 the Pentland Hills, about five miles west of Edinburgh. T. G. 

 LAIDLAW, Edinburgh. 



Kingfisher (Alcedo ispida) in Mull. On the i7th of November 

 last, while shooting with Maclaine of Loch Buie at the west end of 

 Loch Uisk, a Kingfisher was observed to flit by and pass down the 

 stream that flows out of the loch and into the sea near to the Castle. 

 As I never saw or heard of a Kingfisher in Mull before, I venture to 

 place the occurrence on record in the "Annals." C. A. M'VEAN, 

 Isle of Mull. 



The Roller (Coracias garrula] in East Ross-shire. When in 

 Ross-shire recently, I saw a specimen of this rare visitor to Scotland 

 in the house of Mr. Brotherston, Swordale, by whom it was shot. 

 The bird, an adult female, was obtained on Swordale Hill on the 

 3<Dth September 1892. It frequented a piece of broken ground of 

 whin and heather, and often alighted on an upright post. No sign 

 of shyness was exhibited, nor did it appear to be in the company of 

 any birds in particular. When shot at, being allowed well out in 



