MR. HEPBUKN ON THE FEMALE BRIDLED GUILLEMOT. 275 



(Veronica hederifolia), and the chickweed (Stellaria media) 

 are in good request, so also are the young leaves and seed 

 pods of the wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) — a poor return, 

 indeed, for their systematic plunderings the livelong year. 

 ' in conclusion, I beg to state that, after having made a series 

 of inquiries relative to this bird amongst farmers, from al- 

 most every county in Scotland, from the borders to the sunny 

 valleys in the wilds of Ross-shire, where the prudent store- 

 master raises a little patch of turnips to cherish the sickly 

 members of his flock, most of them agree in saying that the 

 appearance and subsequent increase of the wood-pigeon has 

 followed the introduction of the clovers and turnip, and the 

 extension of fir plantations, and all parties look upon these 

 birds as the greatest curse to agriculture. It is the duty of 

 all landlords to lend a willing aid in their destruction, and 

 those funds, which most agricultural societies devote to pre- 

 miums for fat stock, might be more beneficially employed in 

 promoting this object. 



Note and Description of the Female Bridled Guillemot. (Uria 

 lachrymans.) By Mr. Archibald Hepburn. 



Amongst the various specimens of birds obtained during 

 an excursion to the Bass, on the 25th of July, 18 10, there 

 was one of a Guillemot, whose peculiar markings on the head 

 attracted my attention, and, on pointing these out to the 

 boatmen, who were also the lessees of the rock, they at once 

 declared, that though the bird was pretty common on the 

 Isle of May, only one or two specimens had been killed at the 

 Bass. The markings on my specimen did not agree with those 

 of the common Guillemot (Uria troila), to be seen in the 

 Edinburgh College Museum, nor with descriptions to which 

 I had access, until I obtained the loan of " Yarrell's British 

 Birds" in July, 1846, and then it appeared to me to agree 

 most closely with the description of Uria lachrymans, and 

 this opinion was confirmed by Prideaux Selby, Esq , of Twi- 

 zel, at the meeting of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, at 

 Cockburnspath, in August, 1846. In the interim, I had re- 



