The Scottish Naturalist. 277 



Honey Buzzard ( Pernis apivortis). — A specimen of this rare falcon 

 was frequently seen in this locality in February last, — George Sim, 

 Gourdas, Fyvie, March, 1874. 



Green Woodpecker ( Picus viridis). — A specimen of this bird was seen 

 near Fyvie Castle in January last. Id. 



The Landrail in January. — I observe it stated, on the authority of an 

 Irish journal, that a landrail was shot in County Antrim on the 6th February 

 in the present year, and it has been suggested as a problem, whether it had 

 migrated so far in advance of the usual season, or whether it was a bird of 

 last year which had not migrated at all. In connection with the above, it 

 may be interesting to state that, on the night of the 31st January ultimo, in 

 Forfarshire, I heard repeatedly the unmistakeable crake of the landrail. 

 For nearly a week previous the weather had been unusually mild. — John 

 Stevenson, Glammis. 



VAKIOUS NOTES. 



We are glad to observe signs of life in Dundee. That town, long noted 

 for its commercial enterprise, has had nearly an equal, but not enviable, 

 celebrity for its poverty and deadness in regard to the study of natural 

 science. But now we trust that that reproach will soon be wiped away, and 

 that the members of the recently founded "Dundee Naturalists' Society," 

 a copy of whose constitution is before us, will do good work, and show 

 their fellow-citizens that there are other and more valuable dona Dei in the 

 fields, woods, and mountains of the interesting county of Forfar, than that 

 wealth for which the inhabitants of the town of the "donum Dei" are deserv- 

 edly remarkable. The Society has already upwards of 40 members, which 

 number will probably soon be considerably increased. We recommend to 

 the Society the formation of a good local museum of the natural productions 

 of Forfarshire. 



At a recent conversazione, the Montrose Natural History and Antiquarian 

 Society (exemplified at least by one of its chief members), showed that it 

 knows what its proper work is. In his address, Dr Howden (the member 

 in question) laid great stress upon the importance of the formation of 

 a museum of local objects of natural and civil history, such a collection being 

 of very great utility both for scientific and educational purposes. We our- 

 selves took an opportunity, in a lecture recently given, of urging the same 

 upon the Alloa Natural History and Archaeological Society, and as both 

 Montrose and Alloa are fortunate in possessing good museum buildings, we 

 do hope that the members of the respective Societies will have a sufficient 

 amount of energy to carry into effect such a laudable scheme. 



As bearing on the interesting subject of the Geographical Distribution of 

 Plants and Animals, a paper recently communicated to the Royal Physical 

 Society of Edinburgh by Dr. Robert Brown, may be mentioned. Dr. 

 Brown thinks that the great bulk of the Fauna and Flora of Greenland was 

 derived from Europe, with which at one time he considers that that country 

 was united either by continuous land or by a chain of islands, of which it is 



