2.38 RARK BIRDS IK ABERDEENSHIRE. 



April 15th. — Sand Martin, (Hirundo riparia,) seen this day. 



April 17th. — On a ramble over the cliffs by the sea, between Paignton 

 and Goodrington, I observed Cochlearia oJJIcinalis, (Comraon Scurvy Grass,) 

 in great abundance; Silene maritima, (Sea Campion,) Statice armeria, (Sea 

 Pink.) On the rocks beyond Goodrington I discovered two new groups of 

 Asplenium marinum, in addition to that found in the same locality by 

 Dr. Barry in 1851. It is worthy of remark that in specimens of this Fern 

 brought from Dartmouth Castle, the pinnae are lanceolate, whilst in those 

 obtained at Goodrington^ the pinnae are, as Moore in ^'British Ferns" describes 

 them, '^obtusely ovate." In a corn-field at Goodrington, I gathered Cerastium 

 tetrandrum (Tetrandrous Mouse-ear Chickweed,) easily distinguished from G. 

 semidecandrum, although mentioned in ''Flora Devoniensis" casually as a 

 variety of that plant; Fedia oUtoria, (Corn Salad.) On the sands at Paignton, 

 Erodium cicutarium, (Hemlock Stork's Bill,) and a species of Arenaria, not 

 yet in flower, but which from the two stipules at the base of the stem and 

 the ribless sepals, I think may be A. rubra; and on a wall in Paignton 

 village Saxifraga tridactylites, (Rue-leaved Saxifrage.) 



April 18th. — Swallow, {Hirundo rustica,) first seen. 



April 19th. — Cuckoo, (Cucidus caiwrus,) first seen. 



Totnes, April 2ith., 1852. 



RARE BIRDS OCCURRING IN ABERDEENSHIRE. 



BY JOHN LONGMUIR, ESQ., JUN. 



Bohemian Waxwing, (Bombycilla garrula.) — This bird has occurred several 

 times in Aberdeenshire. Three were shot in January, 1850, in the vicinity 

 of Aberdeen, by Mr. A. Mitchell, taxidermist. The same person shot six out 

 of a rather large flock, which he found perched on a mulberry tree at West- 

 field, near Aberdeen, in the beginning of February, 1851. About the same 

 time Mr. Morison, Constitution Street, shot two in his garden. 



The Hoopoe, (Upupa epops.) — A specimen of this rare visitor was shot 

 between March and April this year, by the gamekeeper at Crimmonmogate, 

 Aberdeenshire. It was a male. 



A White Blackbird, (Turdus merula.) — Two specimens of this bird, of a 

 pure white colour, were lately obtained near Aberdeen. The one, at the Coor, 

 was an old bird; the other, a young female, was shot near Woodside. Both 

 these birds were obtained in April, 1852. 



The Crane, (Grus cinerea.) — This ''occasional and very rare visitor," as 

 Yarrell entitles it, has lately occurred in this neighbourhood. It was first 

 seen about the end of May, in a field about eight miles up the River Dee, 

 and remained some days in the vicinity before being shot. It was a young 

 male, and is now in the possession of Mr. Alexander Mitchell. 



