1 4 o ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



Whimbrel (Numenius phceopus, L.) Wintering in Barra. — 



During the whole time, from the summer of 1889 (when I came 

 to Barra) up to the 17th of September 1891, a Whimbrel was 

 seen by me on the west side of this island. It was always to be 

 seen in the same bay, generally accompanied by curlews, oyster- 

 catchers, and small shore-birds, and was not a wounded bird, being 

 strong and active, and as wary and wild as any of the curlews. 

 During the summer migrations, I saw numbers of other Whimbrels 

 in the same place, but after these had left, one always remained, and 

 I concluded it was the same bird. I have not seen it since the 

 1 7th of September last, when I met it about a mile farther south, 

 near the shore ; but as I have not lately visited the place it may 

 still be there. Barra seems to be a favourite place with stragglers, 

 as about the middle of July last I observed a long-tailed duck 

 (Harelda glacialis) — a male in full breeding plumage — diving on the 

 west side of the island, at a spot frequented by large flocks in the 

 winter. On going back to the place in a few days it was gone. — 

 John MacRury, Barra. 



Occurrences of the Iceland Gull (Zanis leucopterus^ Faber) on 

 the West and North Coasts of Scotland. — Inveraray. — I got a 

 glimpse, a week or ten day ago, of what appeared to be, at a dis- 

 tance, a very pale Herring Gull. Since then, my keeper found it 

 out, and this morning (23d February 1892) he shot it feeding near 

 a dead sheep on the shore. It is nearly adult — a slight brown 

 spotting appears on the back and scapulars. — Argyll. 



Poltalloch. — An immature specimen of the Iceland Gull was 

 shot here yesterday, 4th February 1892. The bird had frequented 

 a grass field below the house for more than a week. Attention was 

 drawn to it by its apparently perfectly white colour, and by its keep- 

 ing entirely aloof from the Black-headed Gulls, which frequent the 

 house in great numbers, as I am in the habit of feeding them. — 

 J. W. Malcolm, Poltalloch. 



Lewis. — Early this year tons of Razor-fish (So/en siliqua) were 

 cast ashore at Broad Bay, about two miles north of Stornoway, 

 after an unusually severe gale from the north. Great quantities of 

 this shell-fish were carted away for food and bait ; and thousands 

 of Gulls of various species were attracted to the spot. Among 

 them I noticed three or four Icelanders, one of which I shot and 

 send you for inspection. — D. Mackenzie, Stornoway. 

 [We received the Gull, which is a specimen of Larus leucopterus in 

 immature plumage. — Eds.] 



Caithness. — On the 23d of January 1892, Mr. M'Nicol, Sand- 

 side, shot an Iceland Gull. — Lewis Dunbar, Thurso. 

 [Iceland Gulls have been somewhat abundant during the late winter 

 on the west coast. Mr. G. E. Paterson examined an immature 

 specimen which had been killed at Fort William. Mr. Robert 



