Ii8 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



between 22nd November and 3oth December. I saw one again on 

 8th January. 



Many Woodcock (Scolopax. rustiada) in south end of Unst, be- 

 tween 2oth November and 4th December. Many also reported 

 close to Lerwick. 



Redbreast (Erithacus rubecula). A few here and there since 

 8th December. 



Iceland Gull (Larus leucopterus). One, a male, brought to me on 

 1 2th December. Several others seen. 



Whooper Swan (Cygnus musicus). A party of nine flew over 

 my stable in a S.W. direction, time 8.30 A.M., iSth December. 

 They rested for a few minutes on a small sheet of water about a mile 

 away, but being disturbed, rose and flew off to the southward. 



Chaffinches (Fringilla ceelebs) and Snow Buntings (Plectropenax 

 nivalis} have not been nearly so plentiful this winter as in former 

 years. 



Little Auks (Mergulus alle), Razorbills (Alca fordo), and Com- 

 mon Guillemots (Uria troile) have come to land in great numbers 

 since i6th January ; the heavy storms have been too much for them. 



On 2oth February I came suddenly upon a Song Thrush 

 (Turdus musicus), which was taking shelter from a hail-storm on the 

 lee side of a stone dyke. These birds are very scarce here ; I have 

 only seen, I think, three examples. 



A Moorhen (Gallimda chloropus), an immature male, was caught 

 alive and brought to me on 25th February. It was rather curious 

 to note how the chloroform, with which I killed the bird, completely 

 bleached the colour out of the beak. 



A Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca), first seen on 5th March, is still 

 haunting the district. This owl is becoming exceedingly rare. Owls 

 of all kinds have been conspicuous by their absence this winter, 

 quite a contrast to last winter, when they were exceptionally abund- 

 ant. T. EDMONDSON SAXBY, Unst, Shetland. 



A curious incident regarding- a Kingfisher. On the i5th of 

 January a young man brought me a Kingfisher, which he obtained 

 in a remarkable way. He was walking by the bank of the Tay at 

 the Friarton just below the harbour when something touched 

 him on the back of his cap. He put up his hand, and feeling some- 

 thing fluffy, which gave a slight struggle, he grasped it, and found 

 it to be a Kingfisher. Just before this he had his attention drawn 

 to a rustling in an alder bush, but did not stop to inquire into the 

 cause. As he made the capture a hawk, which had evidently been 

 after the Kingfisher, flew off and made for Kinnoull. ALEXANDER 

 M. RODGER, Perth. 



Pale variety of the Shag. A remarkable variety of the Shag 

 (Phalacrocorax graculus\ showing a decided tendency to albinism, 



