u8 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



gentleman who was shooting at Aviemore some years ago, when 

 there was a brood of these hybrids at Rothiemurchus. Mr. 

 Grant thinks that he has hybrids of both sexes. The cock he 

 describes as being much larger and stronger than a Pheasant, which 

 the bird somewhat resembles, having the breast, wings, and tail of 

 that bird, and is about 33 inches in length. W. E. C.] 



Capereaillie in S.E. Lanarkshire. Mr. James Davidson informs 

 me that an old male Capereaillie (Tetrao nrogallus) came to Dolphin- 

 ton about nine years ago. It was there for about two years alone. 

 The hen or hens came, and for several years there were broods on 

 the South Hill on the border of the adjoining county Peeblesshire- 

 in a large wood about a mile long by a quarter of a mile wide. All 

 were shot out on the Peeblesshire side, but not upon Dolphinton, 

 where they were always carefully preserved. At present there are 

 none, all having been shot out. Mr. Davidson was informed of 

 these facts by the keeper and by Kenneth Ord Mackenzie, Esq. 

 J. A. HARVIE-BROWN. 



Great Skua in the Moray Firth. A Great Skua (Stercorariiis 

 catarrhactes) was shot on isth October 1897 at the Buckie Loch, 

 near Forres, by Lieutenant-Colonel E. Astell, his attention being 

 drawn to it by seeing it mobbed by Gulls. This is a late date for 

 this summer species to be seen, and appears to be the first well 

 authenticated instance of its occurrence in the Moray Firth. T. E. 

 BUCKLEY, Inverness. 



Aeherontia atropos the Death's-head Hawk Moth in Ren- 

 frewshire. On Saturday, the 1 2th June 1897, a living specimen 

 of this moth was taken in the eastern suburbs of Paisley. The 

 moth was got hanging on a bush, and was in very perfect condition. 

 It was kept over Sunday in a box, in which it died. This specimen 

 was brought to the Museum, Paisley, by Mrs. Ross, Ellonvilla, 

 Paisley. The species is more generally got in the imago state in 

 the autumn months, but is well known as also occurring in June. 

 W. F. Kirby says ("European Butterflies and Moths," 1889, p. 68) 

 that " hybernated specimens, or specimens from hybernated pupae, 

 are sometimes found in June." 



As to the article by Mr. Robert Service (" Annals," October 

 1897, p. 257) pointing out that the images are more general than 

 the larvae, my experience, so far as Renfrewshire is concerned, is the 

 very reverse. The larval state is by far the most abundant, yet 

 very few of them reach the adult condition. The larvte feed among 

 potatoes, and when it is borne in mind that most of the potato 

 crops are now dug by machinery the destruction of such large 

 larvae is easily accounted for. In this district they must be of 

 general occurrence, for the appearance of such strange creatures has 

 been described to me over and over again by those who work 



