152 The Scottish Naturalist. 



Holderness, in April, 1825. The skeleton of this animal is 

 mounted and preserved at Burton Constable. Another ex- 

 ample of this whale was cast ashore in July, 1863, near Thurso. 

 The skeleton is in the British Museum. 



From the foregoing it will be seen that to the present time 

 there is no satisfactory evidence of the existence of more than 

 one species of Sperm whale, and that the number of species 

 recorded as British have in the main been all founded on the 

 ordinary Cachalot, which has in these cases been mistaken for 

 another species. 



St. Andrews, November, 1871. 



LIST OF BIRDS FOUND AT ROSSLYN AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 



By Lieut. -ColOxXel Weddekburn. 



Merlin ( Falco cesalon) — very common during winter. Kestrel ( ' Falco tinnun- 

 cuius) — common all year round. Sparrow Hawk (Falco nisus) — common. Hen 

 Harrier f Circus cyaneus ) — one male specimen some years ago in Rosslyn, seen by 

 myself. Short-eared Owl ( ' Otus brachyotus ) — rare. Long-eared Owl fOl us vulga- 

 ris J — rare. Tawny Owl (Ululq stridula) — very common. White Owl ( Strix 

 Jlammca) — common. Great Shrike (Lanius cxcubitor) — several specimens seen, 

 and one shot by myself. Great Tit ( Parus major) — very common. Cole Tit 

 (Parus ater) — very common. Blue Tit f Parus ca?ruleus)—xery common. 

 Long-tailed Tit (Parus caudatus) — very common. Spotted Flycatcher ( Mus- 

 cicapa grisola) — very common. Kingfisher ( ' Alccdo ispida)— very rare, only 

 once seen. Raven (Corvus corax) — occasional on Pentland Hills. Crow 

 (Corvus corone) — almost extinct. Hooded Crow (Corvus comix) — almost 

 extinct. Rook (Corvus frugilegus)— common everywhere. Jackdaw (Cor- 

 vus monedu la)— very common. Magpie (Pica caudata) — very common. Jay 

 (Garrulus glandarius) — common. Creeper (Certhia familiaris) — common. 

 Cuckoo (Cuculus cauorus) — common. Nightjar (Caprimulgus europccus) — 

 common in Rosslyn den. Swift (Cypselus apus) — common. Swallow (Hirun- 

 do ruslica) — very common ; when out shooting some years ago, I saw a 

 swallow of the year flitting about on 2d November ; a few years afterwards, 

 when fishing on Tweed, on 2d November, Col. Learmouth and I saw two swal- 

 lows flying about in the middle of a heavy snow storm. Martin {Hirundo 

 «r^'crt)~common. Sand Martin {Hirundo riparia)— common. Pied Wagtail 

 {Motacilla alba) — common. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cincrea) — common. 

 Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratcnsis)— common. Tree Pipit (Anthus arboreus)— 

 rare, but one or two to be seen every year. Skylark (Alauda arvensis) — very 

 common. Snow Bunting (Emberiza nivalis) occasional, common on Pent- 

 lands. Bunting (Ember iza miliaria) common ; breeds. Black-headed Bunt- 

 ing (Emberiza schazniclus) — occasional ; breeds. Yellow Hammer (Emberiza 

 citrinella)- -very common ; breeds. Chaffinch (Fringilla ccelebs) — very com- 



