ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 115 



I saw the Pied Wagtail (Motacilla lugubris) in Barra for the first 

 time on the i5th of November. It was a single bird only, and I 

 have not seen it since. 



A Mealy Redpoll (Linota linaria) was obtained in the garden 

 here on the i3th of October. I have seen this species in Barra 

 before, but it is a rare visitor to the island. 



A Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca) was seen on the 5th of 

 December. It was sitting in a potato field, and appeared to have 

 newly arrived. This bird was seen again on the 8th, but not since. 

 WM. L. MACGILLIVRAY, Barra. 



Tree Sparrow in Peeblesshire. A Tree Sparrow (Passer 

 montanus] has frequented the stackyard at Hal my re Farm, West 

 Linton, during the winter. It was first noticed in November with 

 a party of House Sparrows, and has been repeatedly in evidence 

 since that date. This is the first record I know of the occurrence 

 of the species in Peeblesshire. T. G. LAIDLAW, Edinburgh. 



Mealy Redpoll in Upper Clyde. On the nth December last 

 a pair of birds were received by me for identification. On examina- 

 tion I found them to be " Mealy Redpolls " (Linota linaria}. They 

 were shot near here on the yth from among a number of birds while 

 feeding on a birch tree. So far as my experience goes this is the 

 first time the species has been observed here. J. D. W. GIBSON, 

 Carmichael. 



Damages to Pine Forests by Crossbills. In the "Trans. Royal 

 Scottish Arboricultural Soc." vol. xvi. p. 319, Mr. J. R. Meiklejohn 

 asks foresters to co-operate in the destruction of these birds, 

 and use their influence with the Government to repeal the protection 

 they enjoy. I sympathise in some senses with the appeal. But 

 such matters cannot be taken up and treated in such an off-hand 

 way, or by rushing from one extreme to another. It was unnecessary 

 to protect Crossbills, because they are not amongst our rare birds ; 

 but it would be wrong to encourage such wholesale destruction as 

 suggested by Mr. Meiklejohn. Because, although all he may say 

 is true as far as he sees, still he, as a forester, may perhaps realise 

 that that which in Darwinism is known as " Nature-pruning," and 

 in other directions as " Natural Recompense " or " Balance," ought 

 to receive some share of attention. He says Crossbills do not get 

 enough seeds to satisfy themselves, at the same time "depriving the 

 forest of hundreds of seeds " ! I will only ask the question " For 

 every ripe seed the birds get, how many do they scatter ? " And 

 if all the hundreds of seeds fell and then came to maturity, wherein 

 would there be a saving to forestry. Fire might perhaps be the 

 easiest way to clear off such a vast surplusage, as in the forests of 

 the far West. I think Mr. Meiklejohn ought to look more kindly 

 than he does on the Crossbills, as assistants in planting in a natural 

 way, and not preach vengeance, or " muzzle the ox that treads the 



