238 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



been obtained. A pair of old birds was seen early in August last year, 

 but it was not suspected that they were nesting, and hitherto no 

 young birds have been observed. On the same day as the goose 

 was obtained, examples of the Gadwall (Anas strepera) and Pintail 

 (Anas acnta) were shot, out of what were apparently family parties of 

 seven and five respectively. They were both birds of the year, and 

 although fully grown and flying strongly, there is little reason to doubt 

 that they had been bred in the district. T. G. LAIDLAW, Perth. 



Hybrids between Black Game and Pheasants in Scotland. 



Although St. John refers to this cross as not uncommon, the 

 number of specimens actually recorded from Scotland is very small, 

 while on the other hand between 30 and 40 instances are known 

 to have occurred in England and Wales. The only Scottish 

 occurrences known to me are given in detail below, and it will be 

 seen that the information with regard to some of them is very 

 defective. If any of your readers can give me any additional notes 

 or particulars to aid in the preparation of a paper on this hybrid I 

 shall be very grateful. 



(1) A male bird, shot in the autumn of 1835 near Lochnaw, 

 Wigtownshire, which passed into the possession of Sir A. Agnew. 

 It was fully described by Thompson in the " Mag. of Zool. and Bot.," 

 vol. i. (1837), and subsequently reprinted in the same writer's " Nat. 

 Hist, of Ireland," Birds, vol. ii. pp. 41-44. 



(2) One recorded in the Badminton Library volume on " Shoot- 

 ing, Moor and Marsh " (p. 48), by Lord Walsingham and Sir R. 

 Payne-Gallwey, as existing in the collection of the Earl of Home at 

 Douglas Castle, Lanarkshire. No date assigned. 



(3) One formerly in the possession of Mrs. Hunter, and now the 

 property of Mr. J. Charlesworth, shot at Glen App, Ayrshire, some 

 time previous to 1890. This is the bird which is figured by Mr. 

 J. G. Millais in " Game Birds and Shooting Sketches," plate facing 

 p. 34 (folio edition). 



(4-5) Two shot at Monreith, Wigtonshire, by Mr. J. Henry 

 Stock; the first on loth October 1893, while Partridge shooting on 

 a farm called Dowies, and the second on zyth October, about a 

 mile from where the first was killed. Both birds are in Mr. Stock's 

 collection at the White Hall, Tarporley, Cheshire, and have not 

 been previously recorded to my knowledge. 



(6) One shot by Captain M. Murphy at Bunessan, Mull, in 

 January 1896, was exhibited by Mr. J. E. Harting at a meeting of 

 the Linnean Society on 2oth February 1896. It is apparently 

 the same bird which was exhibited by Mr. J. G. Millais at the 

 meeting of the Brit. Ornith. Club on 2ist February, 1906, although 

 there stated to have been shot in November 1895. It is now the 

 property of Miss Lees, and is supposed by Mr. Millais to be the 

 produce of a Blackcock and hen Pheasant. 



