268 THE ESQUIMAUX CURLEW IN SCOTLAND. 



American species belonging to the family of the Sandpipers, (SeolopaeidiB 

 Sw.,) which has made its way to this countiy ; the others mentioned in 

 Yarrell being the Buff-breasted Sandpiper [Tringa rufescens ;) the Pectoral 

 Sandpiper, {T. pectoralis,) of which a second individual was obtained in 

 Noi'thumberland, this summer ; Schinz's Sandpiper, [T. Schinzii,) to Avhich 

 Bartram's Tatler (Totanus Bartramius) has very recently been added. 



The writer cannot conclude this, without acknowledging the opportunities 

 which, at some inconvenience, have been given by Mr. Smith for the exami- 

 nation of his specimen. 



Aberdeen, Get. 1855. 



NOTES ON THE GRAY SHRIKE, (LANIUS EXGUBITOB,) THE 



DIPPER, (CTNGLU8 AQUATIGU8,) 



AND THE CHOUGH, (FBEOILU8 OBACULU8.) 



BY HENRY SMURTHWATTE, ESQ. 



The Gray 8hrike, (Lanius Excubitor.) Most recent writers on Ornithology 

 appear to agree in considering the Great Gray Shrike {Lanius Excuhitor) as 

 merely a winter visitor to our island, and all, as far as I can ascertain, deny 

 that it ever breeds with us. Before entering on the latter subject, I may 

 observe, that although the bird is generally considered rare, even in winter, 

 it cannot justly be called so, as I do not recollect a single year elapsing for 

 some time back, in which one or two specimens were not obtained. Several 

 instances of this kind are chronicled in The Naturalist. Rennie and Mr. 

 Knapp (who call it "the Butcher Bird," by which name Lanius GoUurio also 

 is known in some of the northern counties) state that it breeds in the vicinity 

 of their respective residences. Mr. Knapp says, " It breeds annually in my 

 neighbourhood ; " and Rennie mentions having found several " within five 

 miles of Lee, in Kent." Mr. Yarrell notices a specimen obtained in summer, 

 in Ash Lane, near Lee, a circumstance confirmatory of Rennie's statement. 

 Now I think that neither of the persons I have mentioned are likely to have 

 been mistaken on this point ; the accuracy of Mr. Knapp's observations is 

 well known. YaiTcll supposes that, in some instances, the eggs of the Red- 

 backed Shrike may have been mistaken for those of the larger species, but, 

 although they do, no doubt, vary very much both in size and colour, they 

 are rarely or never so like those of Lanius Excubitor as to render their 

 identity at all doubtful. I should feel greatly obliged to any of your corres- 

 pondents who would favour me with their observations on this subject, 

 either hy letter, or through the medium of The Naturalist. 



Tlie Dipper, (Cinclus aquaticus.) I have been enabled lately to see, almost 

 daily, a good deal of the habits of the Dipper, Ginclus aquaticus, during the 

 breeding season Since 1852, a pair of Dippers have (as I have previously 



