NOTES. 155 



Two years ago, when in Scapa Sound, in Orkney, about the 

 middle of May, Velvet Scoters were in considerable numbers 

 and of both sexes. When swimming, the white wing patch 

 is almost entirely concealed, but the size is markedly greater 

 than that of the Common Scoter {(Edemia nigra). 



Towards the end of May we found the Common Scoters 

 assembled in considerable numbers on the Caithness Dhu 

 lochs preparatory to breeding. 



Tlie keepers report that the number of breeding birds is 

 increasing and their breeding-area extending. 



Charles Cairnie. 



FOUR EGGS IN A WOOD-PIGEON'S NEST. 



On August 3rd, 1910, I found the nest of a Wood-Pigeon 

 {Columba palumbus) in Soutli Holderness containing two eggs. 

 On August 23rd a bird was shot at off this nest, in my presence, 

 and hard hit. Unfortunately, I did not, at this time, examine 

 the nest ; but on September 7th I was surprised to find that 

 it contained four eggs. The contents, as might be expected, 

 were highly decomposed. Two eggs had been within a day 

 or two of hatching ; the other two perhaps a week incubated. 

 Tliey might also be fairly said to present two types, since the 

 first pair measured 4-4 and 4-25 cm. respectively, in long 

 diameter, while the second pair measured 4-05 and 3-95 cm. 

 No doubt the cock had lost his mate when the eggs were 

 nearly hatched, and liad found a second partner who laid her 

 eggs in the same nest and was (probably) shot on the occasion 

 mentioned. 



In this district I see more nests of C palumbus containing 

 eggs after the middle of July than before that date. 



M. WlNZAR COMPTON. 



[On one occasion I found four eggs in a Wood-Pigeon's nest 

 and believe them to have been the produce of one bird, but 

 two of the eggs were slightly discoloured and had apparently 

 been rendered infertile by frost. Probably the hen had laid 

 a second clutch after an interval, as the Woodcock has been 

 known to do. Mr. R. H. Read {Zoologist, 1889, p. 436) 

 mentions having found three eggs in a Wood-Pigeon's nest 

 and the remains of a fourth lying broken on the ground beneath ; 

 this seems to have been a similar case to that recorded by 

 Mr. Compton, as the eggs were of two different types. Dr. 

 N. F. Ticehurst informs me that he once found a Wood- 

 Pigeon incubating three eggs and on two occasions found 

 Stock Doves {Columba cenas) doing the same thing, while other 

 instances of Stock Doves laying three eggs are recorded in the 



