NOTES 165 



Smew at Melrose. — In reference to your note in the April 

 number of the Scottish Naturalist concerning the occurrences of 

 Smews (Mergus albelhts) in the Firth of Forth last January, it may 

 be of interest to record the fact that one frequented the Tweed at 

 Melrose on 10th and nth February 1912, after severe frost. I 

 watched it diving and swimming about for a long time ; the water- 

 bailies also noticed it, and called it a Black-and-white Sea-duck. I 

 had no means of determining the sex. Shoveler Ducks and Golden- 

 eyes were seen at the same time. — Gilbert D. Davidson, Melrose. 



Early Breeding of Ringed Plover in Ayrshire.— It may 



be of interest to record that I found the nest of a Ringed Plover 

 (/Egialitis hiaticola), containing two eggs, on 9th March, at Lendal- 

 foot. This is the earliest date on record here. — G. Graham, Girvan. 



Black Tern in Wigtownshire. — On Sunday afternoon, the 

 2nd June, while walking with the Rev. T. Ackman Paton, I noticed 

 a single Black Tern {Hydrochelidon nigra) hawking flies in company 

 with one or two Common Terns, on Soulseat Loch (Inch). We 

 watched the bird from 4 p.m. till 7.30, with a short interval, and 

 during that time it was only seen to alight once for a few seconds ; 

 the next day it had disappeared. This is the fourth occurrence I 

 know of in the county. — J. G. Gordon, Corsemalzie. 



Pishes taken off the Wigtownshire Coast. — Mr Adam 



Birrell kindly sent me a Black Sea-Bream (Can t/i arus /ineatus), 

 15 ins. long, and weighing 2 lbs., taken on the 15th May, also a 

 Goldsinny (Ldbrus rupestris), 4 ins. long, taken on the 25th 

 May, both in Wigtown Bay. At Port Logan, on the 31st May, 



1 examined the fishermen's catch, finding several Ballan Wrasse 

 (Labrns bergylta), the largest nearly 3 lbs. ; a single Cuckoo 

 Ray (Raia falsavela), 13J, ins. across, and showing the two beauty 

 spots on the back very clearly ; several smallish Spotted Rays (Raia 

 metadata) ; a Rough Hound [Scylliorhinus canicula\ measuring 2 ft. 

 10 ins. ; and eleven Piked Dogfish (Squalns acanthias\ the largest 



2 ft. 7 ins. 



At Innerwell fishery, an Allis Shad (Clupea alosa) of 2 lbs., and 

 a Garpike {Rhamphistoma be/one), 2 6 J- ins. long, were taken on 

 the 3rd June, and kindly sent me.— J. G. Gordon, Corsemalzie. 



Death's-Head Moth in the Outer Hebrides. A letter 



recently received from Mr John Anderson, M.A., B.Sc, mentions 

 the presence of a Death's-Head Moth (Manduca airopos, L.) in the 

 school museum of the Nicholson Institute, Stornoway. The 

 individual was "found on a rhone in Lewis Street, Stornoway, and 



