74 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



them in the month of October. The first, presumably a 

 female from the dimensions given, was obtained in Lincoln- 

 shire in October i 847 ; the second, a male, in Yorkshire in 

 October 1892 ; the third, a young male, also in Yorkshire, 

 in October 1896, I had the pleasure of observing in life. 

 Lastly, we have the Scottish female bird, which, like the one 

 first obtained in Britain, has had the misfortune to be re- 

 corded as a Little Bustard. 



In connection with the unfortunate circumstance to 

 which allusion has just been made, it is only right to say 

 that Mr. Sim of Aberdeen, whose name has been mentioned 

 in connection with the identification of the specimen, writes 

 to us to say that he never saw the bird, but that it was re- 

 ported to him by the keeper, who showed him one of the 

 feathers, and gave a general description as to size, etc. ; and 

 from this evidence, and from details Mr. Walker afforded him, 

 Mr. Sim came to the conclusion that it would be a Little 

 Bustard. Mr. Sim had intended to examine the specimen, 

 but had not an opportunity of so doing. 



The Asiatic Houbara has occurred in several European 

 countries, but only as a rare and accidental visitor. There 

 is no evidence that it is a migratory species, unless, indeed, 

 its visits to Northern India, in the winter, from adjoining 

 regions can be regarded as affording evidence of the migra- 

 tory habit. 



It is somewhat remarkable that the only other 

 member of the genus, the African Houbara (H. undulatd), 

 which inhabits Northern Africa and the Canary Islands, 

 thus occurring as near to us as Algeria, has not yet been 

 known to visit our islands, though it occasionally crosses the 

 Mediterranean, to appear as a wanderer in the countries of 

 Southern Europe. 



By the permission of Mr. Walker, I exhibited this inter- 

 esting bird at the meeting of the Royal Physical Society of 

 Edinburgh, on the I5th of February last. 



