308 The Scottish Naturalist. 



much smaller bird than the male, and of much more sombre plumage, the 

 whole length being only 74 inches, with an expanse of wing of 9 inches ; 

 whereas the male is fully 9 in length and 14 in extent, with the plumage 

 glossy black ; and across the lesser wing coverts passes a rich band of reddish 

 cream, shading into brilliant scarlet, from which it takes its name. In the 

 female sent me (which may be taken as a type-specimen, as it was an adult 

 bird), the plumage is brown, much streaked underneath ; the upper parts dark 

 brown, with the exception of the tail, which has the feathers broadly margined 

 with light brown, and a yellowish streak passing over the eyes. The plumage 

 has thus rather a mottled appearance. On the smaller wing coverts exists 

 merely the slightest rudiment of red in the situation where, in the male, this 

 colour is so brilliant. 



Though these birds have much of the true starling in their habits, they 

 differ greatly in the form of the bill, which is conical and sharply pointed, a 

 form seeming to approach that of some of the finches. 



It is not easy to account for the appearance of this bird in the locality in 

 which it was found — a wild spot in the middle of the Highlands, without an 

 inhabitated house for miles, if we except a shooting lodge at some distance, the 

 bothy above mentioned, and a shepherd's hut on the hill-side. What could 

 have brought it there ? The prevailing winds for some time past had been 

 strong from the eastward, so it is not likely to have been driven recently across 

 the Atlantic during its northern migration. Nor is there any appearance of 

 its being an escape from confinement ; nor is that very likely to be the case, 

 the males being generally the ones in demand as cage-birds, from the beauty 

 of their plumage. Could it have been driven out of its course in the autumn 

 during its southern migration, and have remained all winter? Yet it scarcely 

 seems probable that it should have survived our last severe and cold winter, 

 vinless it had moved further south. It was, however, in very poor condition, 

 though quite healthy, with the ovary scarcely, if at all, developed. In the 

 eastern States, during winter, the red-shouldered starling does not remain north 

 of Virginia or Maryland, which, it must be recollected, though in a latitude 

 corresponding to Central Portugal, is sometimes visited with severe frosts, as 

 was the case in this present year. 



In conclusion, I may state that this interesting specimen will be placed in 

 the Perthshire Society's Museum in Tay Street, Perth, where anyone may 

 have the opportunity of seeing it. 



H. M. DRUMMOND HAY. 



Seggiedex, 20th May, 1866. 



TBNGMALM'S OWL (Noctua Tengmalmi).—K specimen of this 

 rare visitor was killed near Peterhead, on the 3rd February. The extreme 

 length of this, an adult female, was 9 inches ; the breadth, from tip to tip of the 

 wings, 21^ inches, and the weight 3f ounces. 



March 13M, 1SS6. G. SIM, Fyvie. 



