112 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



are rccorckd in the Journal of the Wild Bird Investigation 

 Society, p. 15. These refer to a Blue Tit and a Swallow, 

 both from St Andrews. 



OffScatfield a Mallard was observed in the Moray Firth, 

 entirely buff-coloured with white bar and blue speculum, on 

 30th March. An albino Fulmar was got on St Kilda about 

 the end of August ; it had a dull crimson bill, except the tips 

 which were horn-coloured ; the feet were delicate pink. At 

 Duncansby Head from the 9th to the 25th December many 

 hundreds of Fulmars were seen on the cliffs ; among them 

 was one quite unlike the others ; it was all grey, except a 

 very little dirty white on the belly, and the grey was much 

 dingier than that on the rest of the Fulmars. During 

 spring and summer an Oystercatcher was seen on Foula with 

 the entire head and neck white, wings brownish black. 

 A semi-albino Ringed Plover was seen on Tentsmuir in July, 

 while from Tiree comes the record of a white Snipe, shot 

 during the last week in January; it was pure white, except 

 for two bright marled yellow feathers in the centre of the tail 

 and two of the same colour on the lower back, eyes normal 

 (i. 1919, 156). On i6th November a Black-headed Gull, 

 uniform sooty black in colour, is reported from Darvel, and 

 on 27th June an albino Herring Gull was seen in Largo Bay. 

 A hen Pheasant, assuming male plumage, was shot at Derrie, 

 Mochrum, on 26th November; it was reddish on the breast, 

 some metallic feathers on the neck, but no ring ; it had 

 a long tail. 



Habits, etc. 



A most remarkable instance of the provision of foster- 

 parents by Carrion Crows comes from Thornhill, Dumfries- 

 shire. On the 22nd of May a nest with two young birds was 

 found and one of the old birds shot ; on the 24th three old 

 birds were shot near the nest. On the ist June another old 

 bird was shot ; one young was found dead in the nest and 

 one almost ready to fly (i. 1919, 166). At Swordale, East 

 Ross, on 24th April a Rook was seen sitting on the top of 

 a beech hedge, another Rook immediately above it on a tree. 

 The first one leaned right down into the hedge, its tail sticking 



