OBSERVED IN HERTS IN 1892. 163 



in adding it to our list. It is an autumnal and winter visitor 

 to our shores. YarrcU (ib., vol. iv, p. 446) says that the great 

 diversity in the appearance of its plumage depending on sex, age, 

 or the season of the year, ealls for remark, also the loud musical 

 note of the male. Tor a description of the habits of this bird, I 

 cannot do better than (piote from Grey's 'Birds of the West of 

 Scotland,' (pp. 389, 390), extracts from letters to Mr. Grey from 

 Mr. Graham, who was residing in lona in the year 1851. He 

 says: "The cry of this bird is very remarkable, and has obtained 

 for it the Gaelic name of Lack Bhinn, or the musical duck, which is 

 most appropriate, for when the voices of a number are heard in 

 concert, rising and falling, borne along upon the breeze between 

 the rollings of the surf, the effect is musical, wild, and startling. 

 The united cry of a large flock sounds very like bagpipes at a 

 distance, but the note of a single bird when heard very near is 

 certainly not so agreeable. . . . They are of a very lively and 

 restless disposition, continually rising on the wing, flying round 

 and round in circles, chasing one another, hurrying along the 

 surface, half-flying, half-swimming, and accompanying all these 

 gambols with their curious cries. When the storms are at their 

 loudest, and the waves running mountains high, then their glee 

 seems to reach its highest pitch, and they appear thoroughly to 

 enjoy the confusion." When watching them on one of these oc- 

 casions, he adds : "I had to take shelter under a rock from a 

 dreadful blast, accompanied by very heavy snow, which in a 

 moment blotted out the whole landscape ; everything was en- 

 veloped in a shroud of mist and driving sleet ; but fi'om the midst 

 of the intense gloom there arose the triumphant song of these wild 

 creatures rising above the uproar of the elements ; and when the 

 mist lifted, I beheld the whole flock careering about the bay as if 

 mad with delight." 



Miscellaneous [N'otes. 



The Blackbiet) (Turdus merida). — Mr. Bolter, of Cuckman's 

 Farm, caught a blackbird with curiously- coloured wings in a weasel- 

 trap early last year. On my expressing a desire to see the bird, he 

 brought me the wings, which, lacking the black colouring matter 

 in some of the feathers, have a singular appearance. 



Tue Gkasshoppee-Wajibler {LocusteUa ncevia). — Our late Presi- 

 dent, Mr. Hopkinson, reports having heard the grasshopper -warbler 

 on the 26th of April. It is seldom we obtain a close inspection of 

 this extremely shy bird, but last spring my son, as well as myself, 

 were both favoured with an inter\dew. It was early one lovely 

 spring morning that we heard the bird singing its reeling song, 

 both while it was creeping mouse-like tkrough the hedge, as well 

 as when perched on the top of some spray, poui-ing out a volume of 

 sound ; we were within a few yards of the bird, biit it appeared to 

 be in too excited a state to care much for our presence. Its song 

 may be heard in summer, especially during the evenings, but I 

 have never then seen the bird. Its nest is most difficult to find. 



