NOTES 43 



the occurrence of this species on the mainland of Scotland is estab- 

 lished, while at the same time it forms an interesting addition to 

 the bird-fauna of Moray. Annie C. Jackson, Swordale. 



Curious nesting site of the Tree Sparrow. In the 



beginning of June 191 2, I located two nests of the Tree Sparrow 

 in what I take to be a somewhat unusual site for this species. 

 Both nests were built among the Larch twigs, which composed the 

 goodly pile of a Heron's nest some 40 feet from the ground, 

 from which the young had been hatched out a month previously. 

 In feeding the young the birds disappeared from view, so that the 

 nests must have been situated pretty well in the middle of the pile. 

 Both parents fed, and two broods were reared in each case. In the 

 adjoining Larch tree a Heron was brooding her eggs. This con- 

 stitutes a first record of the species nesting in Ross-shire, though 

 it has bred elsewhere in the Moray area. Annie C. Jackson, 

 Swordale. 



Variety of the Starling at Liberton. With reference to 

 Mr Eagle Clarke's note on a variety of the Starling in the Scottish 

 Naturalist, I have to say that there was one resembling his description 

 about here all summer. It was much lighter than the typical bird, 

 and many (indeed most) of its feathers were tipped with greyish- 

 white. The beautiful metallic colouring which distinguishes the type- 

 was absent or almost so, and I should describe the variety I saw as 

 a washed-out looking bird. It was last seen about 14th September 

 when I left home for three weeks, but I have seen nothing of it 

 since I returned. Janet E. Carphin, Liberton, Edinburgh. 



The Jay in Argyll. A few days ago we had an unexpected 

 visitor among the birds assembled at the usual feeding-place beneath 

 my window. This was a Jay in beautiful plumage, who found the 

 food provided much to his taste, taking each selected morsel to the 

 adjoining shrubbery, returning for more until the supply was finished. 

 It is noteworthy that the weather was mild and open and had been 

 so for days; there was therefore nothing to suggest starvation or 

 stress, the bird being evidently in perfect health. The spot where 

 it thus intermittently spent an hour or so was only 12 yards from 

 the ground-floor window at which I was seated. This instance of 

 extraordinary tameness on the part of a notoriously shy and retiring 

 bird seems worthy of record. The Jay is still to be found, if only 

 sparsely and locally, in suitable localities in Argyll j and were it not 

 for incessant persecution, would doubtless soon be noted as an 

 increasing species here, as we learn from Mr Evans {Fauna of 



