22 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



size, the male and female Peregrines. Two days later four Peregrines 

 were again seen and heard chasing what appeared to be the same 

 Kite, coming from the same direction (Ben Lomond). There did 

 not appear to be any attempt made by the Peregrines to "stoop" 

 at the Kite, but they kept circling round it, the females keeping 

 much closer to it than the males. These birds crossed and re- 

 crossed over the encircling hills at least half a dozen times during 

 the day, but it was observed that later on only two Peregrines kept 

 up the chase, and as no difference could be observed in their size, it 

 may be presumed that they were the two females. On the following 

 day two Peregrines and the Kite were again observed. As these 

 observations were made in the middle of the nesting season perhaps 

 some of our Naturalist friends could say whether the Kite has 

 been known to nest in this locality. Peter Webster. 



Slavonian Grebe in Renfrewshire. On 12th August 191 7, 

 which seems an unusual date, I saw a Slavonian Grebe {Podiripes 

 auritus) on Balgray Reservoir. It was rather a brown bird, showing 

 but little of the ornamental plumes about the head which distinguish 

 this species in breeding plumage. Much less shy than either the 

 Great Crested or Little Grebes, each time it dived it took a little 

 leap clear of the water before going under a peculiarity I do not 

 recollect having noticed these two species exhibit. When Mr 

 Mackeith and I published our paper on the Birds of Renfrewshire 

 in this journal in 1915 we did not consider that the information we 

 had then, entitled us to include the Slavonian Grebe. John 

 Robertson. 



Variety of the Red Grouse. This interesting variety, a 

 female, was shot in Ayrshire on the 9th of October 191 7, and was 

 sent to me for description. The black ground colour of its feathers 

 is generally normal ; but the characteristic reddish-brown bars and 

 other markings on both the upper and under surfaces are replaced by 

 very pale greyish-brown, whilst the usual golden tips to the feathers 

 are represented by silky white ones. The feathers on the feet and 

 legs are whiter than in normal specimens. Apart from the absence 

 of the white wings and abdomen, the bird bears a strong resem- 

 blance to a female Ptarmigan. William Eagle Clarke. 



Unio margaritifer in Ayrshire. To Mr William Evans the 

 Conchological Society's Voucher-Collection is indebted for one of 

 two examples of the Pearl-mussel, which were found near Girvan, 

 in the Girvan Water, in the "seventies," between thirty and forty 

 years ago, by the late Robert Gray, the celebrated author of the 

 Birds of the West of Scotland. W. Denison Roebuck, Leeds. 



