NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 55 



SPECIMENS EXHIBITED. 



Dr Colqulioun exhibited a specimen of the great snowy owl 

 (Surnia nijcfea), recently shot near Kilmarnock, and forwarded by 

 Mr D. C. Gairdner When this bird was shot, it was claimed 

 by the master of a trading vessel at Ardrossan, who presumed it 

 to be the same owl that had alighted on the rigging when off the 

 coast of Newfoundland, and accompanied the ship part of the way 

 across the Atlantic. There can be no doubt of this and other 

 species being indebted, during their migratory flights, to vessels 

 at sea for occasional rest; but there are some interesting facts in 

 connection with the habits of the snowy owl which encourage the 

 idea that the bird is more attracted by the novelty of a solitary 

 ship on the waves, than from any desire for shelter or food, when 

 they flutter round it, or alight in crowds on the spars. Instances 

 have been recorded, by the late Mr Thompson, of as many as 

 forty of these large and magnificent birds hovering about ships 

 nearly 800 miles from the nearest land. At other times they have 

 been observed in similar situations during severe storms, showing 

 no signs of fatigue, but skimming the deep trough of the rolling 

 waves, and cresting the billows with as much freedom as if merely 

 coursing the surface of their native hills. 



Dr Dewar also exhibited three fine specimens of this splendid 

 owl, having selected them out of a consignment of upwards of 

 twenty from Canada, where they had been shot during the past 

 wunter by a collector from this country; and he mentioned that 

 this Kilmarnock bird was not the only one which had occurred in 

 the West of Scotland, a specimen having been shot on the Isle of 

 Skye by his friend, Captain Cameron. The species is a well- 

 known winter visitor to the Orkney and Shetland Islands, and, 

 being a day-flier, it preys upon hares, rabbits, and ptarmigan, 

 which it hunts do^vn, and clutches with its foot like a peregrine 

 falcon. 



A specimen of Coronella Imvis, a new British snake, was 

 exhibited by Mr Edward R. Alston, who made some interesting 

 remarks on the species. It appears to have been first recorded in 

 September last, by Mr F. T. Buckland, a specimen having been at 

 that time taken in Hampshire by Mr Fenton, who presented it to 

 the Zoological Gardens. It was there identified by Dr Giinther, 

 of the British Museum. Frequent examples of this snake have 



