no THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



numbers. Although it was cold yet there was no very big 

 storm, and we have no report of unusual casualties. Wrens, 

 Hedge-sparrows, Turnstones, and a few Redshanks wintered 

 on Pladda, Arran. Redwings and Fieldfares, although late in 

 arriving, are reported in great number at Lauder ; Bramblings 

 were rather scarce there and a Rough-legged Buzzard was 

 seen frequently in the Lauderdale Glens (i. 1919, 29). 

 Notes of unusual scarcity come from Possil Marsh, where 

 we are told that apart from, perhaps, an occasional single 

 bird no visiting Swans have been seen during the winter of 

 191 8-19 the writer adds, " I can recall no precedent of such 

 an occurrence " ; while from the neighbourhood of Perth we 

 hear of an extraordinary scarcity of Snipe and Jack-snipe 

 during the shooting season. Our correspondent writes, " I 

 have only killed 5 of the former and 4 of the latter. My 

 average bag over the last five years previous being 193 

 Common and 65 Jack-snipe; this includes the very bad 

 season of 191 8, when I only got 91 whole Snipe and 21 Jacks 

 what has come over the Snipe ? " A great dearth of Snipe 

 is also noted in the Melrose district. 



Ringing. 



The records under this heading are meagre in the 

 extreme in 1918; owing to absence of the organisers on 

 active service, the returns received have not yet been 

 published in full. There is, however, one very interesting 

 return, namely a Pied Wagtail marked as a nestling at 

 Moulin near Pitlochry, Perthshire, on 4th June 1916, and 

 reported from Aviles, Asturias, Spain, on ist Januar}- 1918 

 (2. xii. 154). A Wren ringed in Stirlingshire in June 1917 

 was found at the same place in January 1918 (2. xii. 155), 

 and a Lapwing also ringed in that county in July 1916 was 

 recovered at the same place in April 191 8 (2. xii. 156). 

 Lastly a Gull, " with a spiral pink ring without any markings 

 or name" on its leg, was picked up dead at Broughty Ferry 

 (i. 1919, 29). 



Plumage. 



The notes under this heading are few in 191 8 : the Rook 

 with white feathers in its wings, as previously reported, was 



