NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 209 



PAPERS READ. 



I. — Notice of the occurrence of the JFhite-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia 

 alhicollis) in Aberdeenshire. 



By Mr W. C. Angus, Aberdeen, Corresponding Member. 



Plate III. 



I have much pleasure in adding this interesting North American 

 species to the fauna of Europe. The bird which I send for exliibi- 

 •tion, along with this notice, was shot by Mr Mitchell on the 

 17th August, 1867, near the Broad Hill, on the Links of Aberdeen. 

 It was put into my hands immediately after being procured, and 

 I made a careful examination of the specimen before it was skinned. 



The following description and measurements of the bird were 

 then taken : — Length, six inches and a half; length of tail, about 

 three inches; wing, from carpus, nearly three inches; wings, when 

 closed, reaching to the extremity of the tail coverts; irides hazel. 

 Bill robust; mandibles compressed at the tips, the upper, which is 

 longest, being hooked at the tip and darker in colour. From the 

 nostril to the back of the head there is a distinct line, which is of 

 a rich yellow in front of the eye and a dull white behind it. 

 Feathers on the crown of the head reddish brown at the base, 

 and rich brownish black at the tips, divided by a medial whitish 

 line; feathers, on the shoulders, rich bay at the base and tipped 

 with reddish brown, those on the back having brighter tints and 

 a longitudinal spot of black on the tips. Rump olive brown; 

 chin white; breast dusky; under parts dirty white; feathers on 

 the sides somewhat darker along their shafts. Quills dusky; 

 outer webs margined with white. First quill short; third, 

 fourth, and fifth, about equal, and longest in the wing. First and 

 sixth about equal in length; second, third, fourth, and fifth 

 quills abruptly cut away on the outer webs. Secondaries emar- 

 ginate, edged with ferruginous on the outer webs. A double 

 bar on the wings is formed by the white tips of the greater 

 and lesser wing coverts, the line on the smaller coverts being 

 more conspicuous; the first feather being yellow, like the lower 

 surface of the wing shoulder. Tail dusky, straight, consisting of 

 twelve feathers, the outer webs being broad at the base, while the 

 inner webs are broad at the points. Tarsus seven-eighths of an 

 inch long; legs and toes robust; claws convex and sharp. 



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