ioo THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Although the Corstorphine bones have provided the first 

 published record of the former existence of a species of 

 Lemming in Scotland, they are not, I understand, the only 

 examples that have been found. From Dr Home and 

 Dr Peach I learn that bones of a Lemming have been found 

 by them in Scotland, and that they are now preparing 

 a paper in which these will be recorded. 



In view of Bennie's interesting discovery, it would be 

 quite appropriate if, when the new Zoological Garden on 

 Corstorphine Hill is opened this summer, a family of 

 Lemmings were to be seen established there, in this 

 ancient home of the race. 



ON THE MOULTING OF THE HERRING 

 GULL {LARUS ARGENTATUS) AND OTHER 

 SPECIES. 



By L. N. G. Ramsay, M.A., B.Sc. 



The moulting of birds is a subject to which ornithologists 

 have given comparatively little attention, but which, never- 

 theless, would probably well repay an extensive comparative 

 study. 



It is in the hope that they may be of use to some future 

 investigator that I set forth the following facts. Incomplete 

 as they are, they seem nevertheless to point to certain con- 

 clusions, and they may at least serve to turn the attention of 

 other observers towards the matter. 



I have added a bibliography at the end, which it is hoped 

 may be useful, if only to indicate how scanty is the literature 

 of the subject. 



The data refer chiefly to the Herring Gull {Larus argen- 

 tattis), but four others are also treated of, namely : Great 

 Black-backed Gull (L. marinus), Black-headed Gull (L. 

 ridibnndus), Common Gull (L. canus), and Kittiwake (Rissa 

 tridactyld). The observations were made in the neighbour- 

 hood of Aberdeen, chiefly during the years 1907 and 1908. 

 The)' may be treated under two heads, the first dealing 

 with the 



