NOTES 69 



Honey Buzzard in Ross-shire. A fine Honey Buzzard was 

 sent to me in the flesh, which had been obtained on 18th September 

 on the east coast of Ross-shire. The bird, which proved to be a 

 young male, is a nice specimen with a very creamy crown and nape. 

 Annie C. Jackson, Swordale. 



Quails nesting in Renfrew and Bute. In the summer of 

 1903, while the hay was being cut in a field in the parish of 

 Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, a Quail's nest was found containing nine 

 eggs. Two years later, in July 1905, again when the hay was being 

 cut, another Quail's nest was found with seven or eight eggs, at 

 Knockinkelly, Whiting Bay, Arran, in the county of Bute. As 

 these are both the first known nesting records of the Quail in these 

 two counties, they are worthy of record. T. Thornton MacKeith, 

 Kilmacolm. 



Ruff in the Outer Hebrides. It may interest your readers to 

 know that a Ruff was shot on the Island of Baleshare, on 25th 

 September, 191 2, by Mr John Irvine, head-keeper, Langass. 

 W. Anstruther Gray, Kilmany, Fife. 



Occurrence of Iceland Gulls in the North. An immature 

 Iceland Gull appeared on the Beauly Firth on 2nd December, but 

 apparently did not remain, as it was not seen again. On 22nd 

 December an immature bird of the same species was observed 

 among Herring Gulls in Dunbeath Harbour, Caithness. Annie C. 

 Jackson, Swordale. 



Pork-tailed Petrel in Peeblesshire. A Fork-tailed Petrel 

 was picked up dead by John Howieson, rabbit-trapper, on Friday, 

 5th December 1913, on the left bank of Tweed, on the farm of 

 Alterstone. Howieson had set a rabbit trap near the riverside on 

 the previous day, and is certain the bird was not there then. On 

 Friday forenoon when he went to examine this trap the bird was 

 lying dead close to it. Thomas Currie, Peebles. 



[We have seen the bird, and its identity has been correctly 

 determined, Eds.] 



Gnathoncus rotundatus, Kug., and Micramhe villosa, 

 Heer, in Forth. On 25th May 191 1, whilst searching for ticks 

 in pigeons' nests in the dovecot at Dunipace, Stirlingshire, I found 

 two small Histerid beetles, which answered to the description of 

 Gnathoncus punctulatus, Thorns., in the 3rd vol. of Fowler's British 



