ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 125 



have our suspicions confirmed regarding the appearance of this 

 species at this season, by seeing two of them at Waulkmill Glen 

 Reservoir ; and on the following day, at Balgray, less than a mile 

 distant, we heard the somewhat musical threep of this species, and 

 saw two (probably the birds of the previous day) detach them- 

 selves from a small flock of waders which were skimming across the 

 waters. The Marsh Tit (Parus palustris) has been seen on thirteen 

 occasions between yth November 1896 and i4th February 1897 in 

 the Giffnock district. Comparatively numerous at one time during 

 that period, it has disappeared since the last-named date, but we 

 hope only temporarily. Its characteristic " chay, chay" is sometimes 

 so shaky as to resemble the buzzing of a humble-bee entangled in 

 grass. JOHN PATERSON and JOHN ROBERTSON. 



Gray Phalarope in the Solway District. A remarkably early 

 instance of the occurrence of this scarce species in the district is 

 an example shot on the Nith near to Kelton on i9th September 

 last, which came into my hands shortly afterwards. As usual, the 

 bird was very tame, and was easily procured as it swam near to 

 the river edge. The specimen is a rather small male. I have an 

 impression that the Gray Phalarope (Phalaropus ftilicarius) only 

 finds its way to our area after strong north-westerly winds. For 

 some days previous to the capture of this particular bird there had 

 been very strong winds from N.N.W. R. SERVICE, Maxwelltown. 



Little Gull on the West Coast of Scotland. Considering the 

 comparative rarity of Larus ininutiis in Western Scotland, it is 

 interesting to notice the relative frequency with which this species 

 has visited the Solway Firth of recent years. In 1893 a bird of the 

 year was shot on Rockliffe Marsh on the 28th of October. Another 

 was shot near Annan in January 1894. A very interesting bird, in 

 changing plumage, was shot near Silloth in June 1894. I received 

 several reports of a Little Gull being seen by different observers on 

 the Eden at Carlisle in January and February 1895. A Little Gull 

 in nest feather was shot on the north side of the Esk, opposite 

 Rockliffe Marsh, on the i6th of September 1896. Lastly, another 

 young bird, which retains much of the brown nest plumage on the 

 upper parts, was obtained near Allonby on the gth of October 1896. 

 This last specimen was shot by Mr. Thomas Mann, who kindly in- 

 sisted upon my accepting it. I had previously purchased the other 

 four specimens, and added them to the public collection of Aves in 

 the Carlisle Museum. A record of our local occurrences of Larus 

 minuliis prior to 1893 will be found, I believe, in the "Fauna of 

 Lakeland." This note brings the record up to date. H. A. MAC- 

 PHERSON, Allonby Vicarage, Cumberland. 



Little Auks in the Forth. The Little Auks (Mergitlus alle) 

 have again been driven on our shores, but apparently not in any- 



