The Scottish Naturalist. 269 



right'' ; he in return would strike up a cheery song, which completed, an- 

 other twitter would be given by way of thanks for his little attention, and he 

 would then retire. In a few days the hen began to sit, became shy, and was very 

 little seen ; she would, however, come down in the morning to be let out, and 

 and would return in a few minutes, but instead of flying direct to her nest, she 

 would settle on the curtains at the end furthest from it, and when she thought 

 she was not observed would slyly slide along the top of the curtains and sud- 

 denly pop in. Cock Robin was most assiduous in his attentions, coming every 

 morning at an early hour with a grub for her breakfast, always perching first 

 on the wardrobe opposite the window, and after remaining a second or so, dart 

 across the room to the nest and out again, this he would do two or three 

 times during the morning. In about three weeks six little fledgelings occupied 

 the nest. About this time my family left home, and strict orders were given 

 that the window should always be left slightly open, and I had the satisfaction 

 of learning that in due course the six young robins were fledged and took 

 their departure ; and occasionally Cock Robin may now be heard on the 

 window sill cheering us with his autumn song. — H. M. Drummond Hay, 

 Seggieden. 



Note on the record in Gray's "Birds of the "West of Scotland" of 

 the occurrence of the Little Crake.— The Scottish Naturalist seems a 

 fitting organ for correcting a mistake for which I am in a measure responsible 

 in Gray's "Birds of the West of Scotland." The Little Crake mentioned in 

 the appendix is the same as the one recorded in the body of the work, p. 334, 

 being at present the only Scottish specimen. It is an adult male bird, but not 

 in very good condition. It was picked up by a girl tending cattle.— J. H. 

 Gurney, jr., Northrepps, Norwich, 23d July, 1872. 



The Wood "Warbler— In looking over the "Scottish Naturalist" for July, 

 I was surprised to see the Wood Warbler (Sylvia sibilatrix) mentioned as a 

 rare bird in Fyvie. It may interest some of your readers to know that in the 

 neighbourhood of Loch Lomond it is far from uncommon. Between twenty 

 and thirty of these birds were counted by Mr. Gray (author of the " Birds of 

 the West of Scotland") and myself, during an afternoon's walk in the woods at 

 the south end of the loch, on the 26th of June last.— James Lumsden, jr., 

 Arden House, Alexandria, 12th July, 1872. 



Albino Wild Duck (Anas Boschas).— For a sight of this rare and inter- 

 esting variety I am indebted to Mr. W. Robb, Marischal College, Aberdeen. 

 The bird, which is a fine female, was shot this summer in the parish of Kil- 

 drummy in Aberdeenshire. The plumage is entirely white, with a slight buffy 

 tinge on the abdomen ; the legs and bill are orange. Albinism of even a partial 

 kind seems very rare amongst the true wild ducks, though common among the 

 domestic breeds descended from them. While on the subject of albinos, I may 

 also mention that Mr. Robb showed me during the summer, an albino black- 

 bird (Turdus mcrula) which was shot at Careston Castle, near Brechin. Its 

 plumage was pure white, with the exception of the following parts, which were 

 dark grey or brown mixed with white, viz., two or three primaries of each wing, 

 six ot the tail feathers, a patch in front of the vent, and two patches on the right 

 thigh. The irides were dark brown ; the bill and legs as usual.— James W. H. 

 Traill, Aberdeen. 



