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THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Pieds already mentioned. They have been identified as true 

 Motacilla alba alba. — Annie C. Jackson, Swordale. 



Tengmalm's Owl in Shetland. — I had brought to me a 

 Tengmalm's Owl (Nyctala tengmalmi), on the 23rd of January, 

 which had been captured alive in a barn at the north end of the 

 island of Unst. It had been injured, but I managed to keep it 

 alive until the 1 9th of February. This is the third example of this 

 visitor from the forests of Northern Europe that I have examined 

 since coming here thirteen years ago. I have presented the 

 specimen to the Royal Scottish Museum. — T. Edmonston Saxby, 

 Balta Sound, Unst, Shetland. 



A note on the Gannet. — On 13th August 191 1, while watch- 

 ing Gannets (Snla bassana) diving in Largo Bay, I twice saw one of 

 these birds come to the surface with a large fish held crosswise in 

 its beak. It had quite a struggle before it succeeded in gulping 

 down its prey. The second time, my stepmother, Mrs Baxter, also 

 saw the occurrence; it was the same bird both times. I have 

 watched many hundreds of Gannets diving, but never before saw 

 one bring a fish to the surface afte'r the dive. — Evelyn V. Baxter, 

 Largo. 



Solamosse Geese. — Under this heading, on pp. 76, 77, of the 

 Annals of Scottish Natural History, 191 1, Mr J. H. Gurney 

 speculates as to the species of birds sent by Lord Crainston (or 

 Cranston) to Lord William Howard, of Naworth Castle, in 1623 and 

 1633. I hazard the guess that these birds were Solan Geese (i.e. 

 Gannets) ; and my guess is arrived at for the following reasons : — 

 Although there is no evidence to prove that John, second Lord 

 Cranstoun, who lived within the periods named (1623-1633) possessed 

 any landed property outside the counties of Roxburgh and Berwick, 

 and although he is not known to have been any connection of the 

 families to whom the Bass Rock then belonged, it is quite probable 

 that his lordship was aware of the gastronomic value of young 

 Gannets. May we suppose that, having purchased some of these 

 tasty morsels in the Edinburgh market, or, having himself been 

 given some by an acquaintance, my Lord Cranstoun, with commend- 

 able generosity, sent them to his English friend Lord William 

 Howard, of Naworth Castle in Cumberland ? On their arrival there, 

 they would duly be entered in the Household Book ; where 

 probably a slip of some clerk's pen described them as " Solamosse 

 geese," or "Sollemgeese." The slip would be rendered the more 

 likely, if the penman who made the entry was familiar with the 

 name Solway Moss but not with the words Solan Geese. Hearing 



