146 ZOOLOGICAL NOTESi 



of the outer webs of the secondaries being of that colour; the tail, which 

 consists of twelve feathers, is, with the exception of the two middle ones, 

 which are much darker than the others, of a rich yellowish brown, or perhaps 

 what some would call a fine bright or reddish chestnut^ (hence the term 

 phoenicura tithys, from pJiainix, pTioinikos— that is, reddish, like the fruit of 

 the date palm when not fully ripened; and oicra, a tail — that is, date-red tail,) 

 and all are more or leas marked towards their tips with dark brown; the 

 upper coverts are of the same hue as the tail; the under ones of a brownish 

 white; the tail, when closed, appears slightly forked, from the circumstance 

 of the feathers decreasing in length as they approach the centre; eyes, hazel; 

 bill, legs, toes, and nails, black; the legs are longish, and rather slender than 

 otherwise; in form it a good deal resembles the Wheatear, a bird only 

 known here by the name of Stanechack, or Chackert. 



Though I have said that the present specimeii is the first which has been 

 found in Scotland, I do not mean to say by that, that it is the first that 

 ever visited this part of the country. It is quite possible, owing to the 

 neglect, or rather the contempt, in which natural science has been, and is 

 yet, with many, still held in this part of the country, and, I may say, in 

 Scotland, that these birds might have visited us frequently, nay, for ought 

 we know, may even breed, in our mountainous and rocky districts, unknown 

 and unrecorded. I say this from the fact that another, and no doubt a 

 female, was with the one now in my possession at the time it was captured, 

 though it managed to make its escape. However, we are much indebted to 

 the gentleman, through whose kind attention in procuring the present specimen, 

 we are enabled to add another new name to the list of the fauna of our 

 county, and also of laying the details, though humbly, before the public. If 

 other individuals residing in the county, would do as the gentleman in Cullen 

 did, when an opportunity ofiers, our list would soon increase, and, at the 

 same time, the natural productions of this part of the country would in 

 consequence become better known. I may here remark, that on dissecting 

 the stomach of the bird, I found it to contain a quantity of insects, etc., 

 such as flies and beetles, and the larvfe of an insect, perhaps a bee, the name 

 of which I do not at present recollect. However, I may state, that entomologists 

 may know it, that the perfect insect has a most beautiful glossy pink abdomen, 

 and green thorax and head, and builds its nest of mire and clay, in slight 

 hollows, or corners of stones forming garden and other walls. 



On the same notable day, I had two fine specimens of the Waxwing, 

 {Bcmhycilla garrul a, )hr ought me, which had been procured some days previously 

 in our neighbourhood, where, I believe, they have been rather plentiful 

 lately. On the wings of one of these birds, I find that there are seven, 

 and on that of the other, six, carmine or waxen tags; and on the wings of 

 two others which previously passed through my hands, there were on the one 

 six, and on the other only five. How is this? Can ornithologists tell the 

 reason why there should be seven on one, and only five on another, and both 



