1 88 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



somewhat a rara avis in Scotland, and I don't think it has been 

 recorded as a visitor to the Western Isles. The night it was caught 

 was stormy, with heavy rain, wind south. At the same time there 

 were several Snow-buntings about. JAMES TOMISON, Skerryvore 

 Lighthouse. 



[In the January number of the "Annals" the important, though 

 not unexpected, announcement was made that the breeding of this 

 species in Scotland had been established. In our present number 

 the records of the bird's occurrence in the Hebrides and in 

 Shetland in the spring of this year would seem to indicate that it 

 may possibly occur on our coasts as a migratory species. EDS.] 



Great Titmouse in Caithness. About the second week of 

 November a pair of Great Titmice (Pants major] appeared in my 

 garden at Wick. Messrs. Harvie - Brown and Buckley do not 

 include this species in their " Fauna of Sutherland " for Caithness, 

 and only mention having seen the bird on one occasion in the 

 county of Sutherland, namely near Lochinver. JAMES SUTHERLAND, 

 Wick, in the " Northern Ensign." 



Long-tailed Titmouse in the Outer Hebrides. Last year I saw 

 a company of these birds at Mhorsgaie Lodge, Lewis. Mr. Harvie- 

 Brown tells me that the Long-tailed Titmouse (Acreditla rosed) has 

 not hitherto been detected in the Outer Islands. -- - DUNCAN 

 MACKENZIE, Stornoway. 



Late Stay of Waxwings in Inverness-shire. I was in the Nethy 

 Bridge district late in May, and saw some Waxwings (Ampelis 

 garrulus] which had been shot there in January. There was a 

 flock of forty to fifty to begin with, but they gradually disappeared, 

 though four were still seen during the first week of May, which is 

 surely a very late date. ARCH. M'L. MARSHALL, Blairgowrie. 



Pied Flycatcher in Dumfriesshire. It may be of interest to 

 you to note in the " Annals of Scottish Natural History " that I saw 

 a male Pied Flycatcher (Muscicapa atricapilla) near here yesterday, 

 1 2th May. I watched it for about ten minutes through my glasses. 

 It was engaged in catching insects, which it " spotted " from a 

 convenient perch, whence it pounced down upon them on the 

 ground. This is the first of these birds I have recognised here, 

 though I believe they have been known to nest in this locality 

 before now. I am in hopes of being able to find and photograph 

 the nest. HUGH S. GLADSTONE, Capenacle, Thornhill. 



[This species was observed in fair numbers on the east coast on 

 passage to N.W. Europe during the first fortnight of May. It is 

 interesting to know that the very small colony in Dumfriesshire is 

 still in existence. EDS.] 



Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Outer Hebrides. - - Last 

 autumn a bird, undoubtedly of this species, was seen climbing 



