u8 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



by a bird-catcher near Duddingston Loch on 1 3th February last.- 

 T. G. LAIDLAW, Edinburgh. 



Further occurrence of Greenland Redpolls in Barra, Outer 



Hebrides. I am again indebted to my friend Mr. W. L. Macgil- 



livray for allowing me to examine and record two more specimens 

 of the Greenland Redpoll from the Island of Barra. Both these 

 examples were obtained by Mr. Macgillivray in September last, and 

 are identical with the birds determined by me, in accordance with 

 the views of American ornithologists, as the form known as 

 Acanthi's linaria rostrata, Coues ("Annals," 1901, pp. 131-133). 



Since my last note, I sent one of the specimens then recorded 

 to Professor Newton for his opinion upon it, and I now reproduce 

 his views concerning it. I may say, however, that the specimen 

 he kindly sent me for comparison agreed in every particular with the 

 two other specimens not seen by Professor Newton. 



Professor Newton's remarks are as follows : " I send you one of 

 our Redpolls, a female, from Lichtenfels in Greenland, in newly- 

 moulted autumn plumage, which you will admit agrees very closely 

 with your bird, allowing for difference of sex, as I take yours to be 

 a male. It came to me as Linota linaria, and was referred by me to 

 hornemanni, after a long investigation which Mr. Dresser and I under- 

 took. I still think that it is hormmanni, and I also believe that 

 there is but one form found in Greenland. I think the Redpoll 

 sent is sufficiently near your own specimen for you to refer both to 

 the same form whatever you may call it, and as the locality (and 

 season) of the former is known you may justifiably deduce the origin 

 of the latter." WM. EAGLE CLARKE, Edinburgh. 



Wheatear capturing 1 a Moth on the wing. The capture of 

 Lepidoptera on the wing by birds is a subject that has been 

 receiving some attention lately, and perhaps the following incident, 

 which is not lacking in special interest, may be worthy of record. 

 One day in mid -June last, while walking along the road which 

 runs by the side of Loch Assynt, in north-west Sutherland, a male 

 Oak Eggar moth dashed past me with the swift but unsteady flight 

 characteristic of the species. Suddenly a male Wheatear gave 

 chase, and after a short but trying pursuit, during which the bird 

 several times failed to secure its prey, succeeded in making a 

 capture, and ate its victim on the road, where I found the wings, 

 the only remains left. If I had not witnessed this most interesting 

 flight from start to finish, I would not have believed it possible that 

 a Wheatear could have been so clever or so swift on the wing. 

 have also seen the Great Titmouse capture the common White 

 Butterfly (Pieris rapes) on the wing. WM. EAGLE CLARKE. 



Waxwing in Edinburgh. Referring to the occurrences of this 

 bird in Scotland last November, recorded in the January number 



