ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 245 



Marking Gannets at the Bass Rock. During the first fortnight 

 in August 1904 forty young Gannets and fifty-two old ones were 

 ringed on the Bass Rock, at my request, by Mr. John Laidlaw, 

 Principal of the new Bass Rock Lighthouse. The rings, which were 

 buckled on to their legs with a small catch, are what are sold to 

 poultry breeders as white metal pedigree -rings, and are stamped 

 thus : 



1904 BASS EOCK 



It is hoped by means of this experiment (that is, if the Gannets 

 do not pull the rings off) to obtain some items of information as to 

 the winter wanderings of this species, and also to ascertain if the 

 same individuals always keep to the same breeding stations. J. H. 

 GURNEY, Keswick Hall, Norwich. 



Hobby at Kelso. An adult male Hobby (Falco subbuteo) a 

 species of rare occurrence in Scotland, was shot at Kelso on the 

 evening of 2gth June. H. W. ROBINSON, Lancaster. 



Albino Sea Eagle in Yell, Shetland. For a number of years a 

 couple of pairs of Sea Eagles (Halicctus albicilla) have nested in 

 Yell, but lately only one pair has done so. Some few years ago 

 the nest was robbed of its two eggs, and the birds removed their 

 " eyrie " and placed it in a cliff about 400 feet high, about midway 

 in the cliff, evidently thinking it would be more difficult of access. 

 Last year a " man with a gun " came upon the female while she 

 was engaged feeding upon the carcase of a dead sheep, wounding 

 the bird, which escaped, but which was afterwards found dead on a 

 croft. The bird was got by a local taxidermist, who stuffed it. 

 The male disappeared after the death of its mate, but returned in 

 about 14 days with another much smaller than itself and an 

 " Albino." This year the nest was robbed, but the person who took 

 the egg, was prosecuted and fined the maximum penalty, and the 

 egg was ordered to be forfeited. 



Every inducement is offered in the way of money for the 

 " albino " dead, but a great interest in them is taken by the people 

 in the vicinity who will not destroy the birds. JOHN S. TULLOCH, 

 Lerwick. 



[Under the Wild Birds Protection Acts now in force in Shetland, 

 the Sea Eagle is protected "throughout the whole year," and it is 

 to be hoped that if the bird is shot, or otherwise captured, the 

 offender or offenders will be fined and the bird confiscated. EDS.]. 



The breeding of Woodcocks in 1902 and 1904. The following 

 remarks were written on 8th August 1904, and I shall be curious to 

 know what may follow at later dates, after the shooting season opens. 

 I have already spoken of this in a prior note ("Annals," 1904, 



