l82 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



season, who does not mind being charged with treason to Baconian 

 principles. It will be interesting also to ascertain whether this 

 multiplication of " Cuckoo ! Cuckoo ! " is common to this with 

 other areas north and south. I can well remember, without refer- 

 ring to notes, that in 1905 Cuckoos were also superabundant, noisy, 

 and restless on the open grounds up Glen Dochart of Tay as 

 late as the 22nd May — a season of very backward nature, though 

 not so severe as this 1908 opening has been. — J. A. Harvie- 

 Brown, Dunipace. 



Turnstone in Scotland in June. — When on Luinga Bheag, off 

 Arisaig, on 8th June, Mr. Duncan M'Naughton, Perth, and I saw six 

 Turnstones, Strepsilas interpres^ L. We first of all put up four, while 

 later on we disturbed another pair. The birds were by no means 

 shy, and we got within short distance of them on more than one 

 occasion. — J. B. Dobbie, Edinburgh. 



[When Mr. Wm. Macgillivray of Eoligary, Barra, was paying me 

 a visit a few weeks ago, he informed me of the residence of a flock 

 of from ten to twelve to fifteen Turnstones at a certain reach of 

 shore in the Outer Hebrides. He had told me before of their 

 remaining all summer there after putting on the full summer dress. 

 This was some three years ago. Since then the same flock, or vary- 

 ing slightly in number, has frequented the same reach of shore 

 persistently both during winter and summer. It is by no means 

 unusual to find these birds in almost or quite perfect summer dress 

 amongst our Western Isles, and even at certain localities nearer to 

 the west coast of the mainland. During many years' personal 

 acquaintance with the West generally I have scarcely ever missed a 

 season without seeing these birds singly or in pairs, or in small flocks, 

 well on in June and sometimes even after midsummer. — J. A. 

 Harvie-Brown.] 



Snowy Owl in South Uist. — A fine specimen of this noble 

 Arctic bird was shot at the farm of Milton, South Uist, in October 

 1907, and is now in the collection of Outer Hebridean birds in 

 the possession of Sir Reg. Cathcart, Bart. — J. A. Harvie-Brown, 

 Dunipace. 



The Scops-Owl in Forth. — Slowly but surely the list'of " Forth " 

 birds increases. The latest addition is the Scops-Owl {Scops gm\ a 

 specimen of which was obtained in a small wood called " The 

 Fluthers," on the estate of Lundin, near Largo, Fife, the property of 

 Sir John Gilmour, Bart, of Montraive, on i6th May last (1908). 

 The head keeper on the estate was walking through the wood when 

 the bird flew over his head and he shot it. A few days afterwards 

 I had the privilege of examining it in the bird-stuffer's shop in 

 Edinburgh. It proved to be a female, and was in good plumage ; 

 length about 7^ inches, wing from flexure 6| inches, base of bill 



