44 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Song-Thrushes, Robins, and Goldcrests are sufficiently different from 

 Continental ones to merit subspecific recognition. With the 

 object of ascertaining whether the East Lothian and Berwickshire 

 coast is visited by the Continental forms I have, through the 

 kindness of the light-keepers, had specimens of these species from 

 the Bass Rock, Barnsness, and St Abb's Head lighthouses. Of 

 half a dozen Song-Thrushes examined, only one is of the Continental 

 type (Dr Hartert has confirmed this) ; it was killed at the lantern of 

 Barnsness Lighthouse, Haddingtonshire, in the end of December 

 1 910, and was probably a winter visitor to the district. The 

 Goldcrests and Robins — obtained during the spring and autumn 

 migrations — are all, in Dr Hartert's opinion, British birds. Out of 

 a score of Goldcrests I have from time to time submitted to him 

 from these three lighthouses and the Isle of May, he regards only 

 one (a male I got on the May on 20th October last) as Continental, 

 while a Robin and two Song-Thrushes obtained along with it are 

 pronounced to be British. A marked migration, it should be said, 

 was in progress at the May on that day, including, besides the above 

 species, Redwings, Fieldfares, Bramblings, Grey Crows, Woodcock, 

 etc. The apparent rarity of Continental examples of these three 

 species on this coast is somewhat perplexing; and I cannot help 

 thinking that there must be some area on the Continent where birds 

 undistinguishable from ours are reared, and whence they visit us as 

 migrants and pass as natives. 



A number of Willow-Wrens from the three lighthouses first 

 mentioned have also been examined. One (a male) from the Bass 

 on the night of 26th April 1909, must, Dr Hartert considers, be the 

 northern race (Phylloscopus trochilus eversmanni) ; though the 

 colour is a shade too dark, the wing characters are right. 



When at Barnsness on 27th October last, I obtained an Eared or 

 Black-necked Grebe which had killed itself that morning by striking 

 the dome of the lighthouse. — William Evans, Edinburgh. 



Little Bustard in Kincardineshire. — A fine specimen of 

 this rare bird (Otis tetrax) was shot on the farm of Gallaton, on 

 the estate of Barras, near Stonehaven, on 1st January 191 2. The 

 bird had been observed as a stranger frequenting a certain turnip 

 field on the farm for about a fortnight, but the gamekeeper could 

 not identify it. It was wary, and was only shot after considerable 

 manoeuvring. The bird, a male in winter plumage, has been set 

 up by Messrs Small & Son, George Street, Edinburgh. — Charles 

 Cook, Edinburgh. 



[This is the seventh instance known to us of the occurrence of the 



