I4 o THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



preceding summer, and were to all appearances adult by their 

 feathers, but which had never as yet laid an egg. They were 

 very probably birds some seventeen to twenty months old, and would 

 breed in the following summer when approximately two years old, 

 but I have no positive proof of this. 



The average weight given by Lieut. Beveridge practically 

 coincides with my average, but late in the spring, just before the 

 Grey Lags go north from the English Solway, especially if the 

 migration be delayed (they generally depart to the day, 19th April), 

 the geese put on a lot of fat and consequently weigh above 

 the average, but very few in my experience reach 10 lbs., and this 

 is confirmed by Lieut. Beveridge's weighings. 



Regarding the colour of the soft parts : Lieut. Beveridge makes 

 a definite statement ; unfortunately I cannot agree with him, but I 

 would here state that whilst he is giving his experiences of North 

 Uist Grey Lags, I am speaking of "Greys" killed on the English 

 side of the border, in every month from beginning of October 

 to end of March. I have always been very careful to note down 

 the colour of the soft parts the moment I have gathered the dead 

 birds, or, if shot at night, then as soon as I could see clearly the 

 following day. These are what I find to be the correct colours : 



In fully adult birds. 2?z7/ Bright rosy pink or vivid flesh pink, 

 occasionally tinged orange. Nail White. Legs and feet Rosy 

 flesh pink ; webs, flesh ; claws, pale horn. 



In young birds in their first autumn and winter. Bill Orange. 

 Nail Sometimes dark horn brown, generally dirty white, 

 gradually becoming whiter with advancing age in the spring. 

 Legs and feet Flesh. 



It will be seen from the foregoing that Lieut. Beveridge's 

 colours are those of young birds, and he seems to have failed 

 to mention what to me is a very striking feature, namely the 

 beautiful rose-pink tint on the beak and feet of adults when 

 just dead; I may add, however, that this rosy blush very soon 

 fades after death. F. W. Smalley, M.B.O.U., F.Z.S., Cove Hall, 

 Beccles, Suffolk. 



Description of Aberrant Hen Capercailzie from Afleck, 

 Forfarshire. Head and neck dull brown, each feather with 

 two bands of pale yellow-brown and fringed with ashy brown. Base 

 of neck dull brown, each feather barred with brownish yellow 

 and fringed with ashy white freckled with brown. Wing coverts, 

 scapulars, and interscapulars dull brown at base shading to pale 

 brown, with narrow inverted V bars of brownish yellow, and freckled 



