92 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



appearance in the estuary of Little Auks during this winter, both 

 these species have again been observed. Five Smews have to my 

 knowledge been seen or obtained in January and February, and one 

 Red-necked Grebe in February. I have no doubt others were 

 present. — Wm. Eagle Clarke. 



Movements of Ringed Woodcocks. — A Woodcock, ringed 

 "B.Q. 1911," near Langholm, Dumfriesshire, in the spring of 1911, is 

 recorded in the Field of 24th February 191 2, as shot near Berehaven, 

 Co. Cork, Ireland. That is nearly four hundred miles south-west of 

 place of ringing. In the same periodical of 10th February 1912, a 

 Woodcock, ringed "B.2. 1911," is reported as shot near Instow, X. 

 Devon. The letter Q. bears, in some type, a resemblance to the 

 numeral 2, so that this bird was probably another of those marked 

 near Langholm. If so, this would be about three hundred miles 

 south-south-west of place of ringing. I am informed that over fifty 

 Woodcocks were thus ringed last spring in the above-mentioned 

 locality, and that not one so marked was shot there in the following 

 shooting-season, when a bag of nearly two hundred Woodcock was 

 obtained. — Hugh S. Gladstone, Thornhill, Dumfriesshire. 



Black-tailed Godwits in Moray. — By the Cromarty Firth, on 

 13th September 19 n, I had an excellent view of two Black-tailed 

 Godwits (Limosa belgica), birds of the year. They stood dozing at 

 the end of a long promontory, apparently awaiting the turn of the 

 tide and the uncovering of the mud flats. 



On 30th September I was again by the shore, and came 

 upon a bird of the same species feeding with one or two Red- 

 shanks by a brackish pool near the shore. — Annie C. Jackson, 

 Swordale. 



Early appearance of the Common Tern on the Clyde. — 

 Whilst on a short visit to Cardross with my friend D. W. Wother- 

 spoon, on 24th February, I was surprised to see three Common 

 Terns (Sterna fluviati lis). Believing that their appearance was very 

 unusual so early in the season, I informed Mr Eagle Clarke, who 

 tells me that, so far as he is aware, this is the earliest recorded date 

 for the spring arrival of this species in the British Isles. — George 

 Stout, Glasgow. 



Small Tortoise-shell Butterfly hibernating in Shetland. 

 — A specimen of the Small Tortoise-shell Butterfly ( Vanessa nrticce, 

 L.) was caught in the lobby window of my house here this morning, 

 8th January. The weather in Shetland for some weeks past has been 

 extremely mild, and I have pulled Auricula and other spring flowers 

 in fairly good flower, but I did not think Butterflies would venture 

 out quite so early. — R. B. Kennar, Lerwick. 



