VOL. IX.] NOTES. 189 



Tree-Pipit, Pied Flycatcher and Lesser Whitethroat 

 IN Ireland. — Professor C. J. Patten states (Irish Nat., 1915, 

 p. 208) that the following birds rare to Ireland have recently 

 been taken at lighthouses, viz., a Tree-Pipit (Anthvs trivialis) 

 on September 9th, 1915, at the Tuskar (Wexford), a Pied 

 Flycatcher {Muscicapa hypoUiica) on September 17th, and a 

 Lesser Whitethroat [Sylvia curruca) on the 19th at the 

 Maidens lighthouse (Antrim). 



Fieldfare in Scotland in June. — The Duchess of 

 Bedford notes (Scot. Nat., 1915, p. 263) that a Fieldfare 

 (Turdus pilaris) was shot at Cairnsmore, Palnure, on June 10th, 

 1915 — a late date. 



Alpine Swift in Wigtownshire. — The date on which the 

 Alpine Swift was seen in Wigtownshire by G. Holmes is now 

 given (Scot. Nat., 1915, p. 308) as July 30tli, and not early 

 in August, as stated in our previous note (antea, p. 95). 



Blue Egg of Cuckoo. — Mr. E. P. Butterfield, writing in 

 the Zoologist, 1915, p. 357, states that in early July he found 

 a blue egg of the Cuckoo (Cuculns c. canorus) together with 

 three eggs of the Hedge- Sparrow near Bingley Wood, Wilsden, 

 Yorkshire. The egg was apparently identified as a Cuckoo's 

 by its shape, size and texture, but it would have been more 

 satisfactory if the weight had also been ascertained. It is 

 a remarkable fact that while this type is not very scarce in 

 some parts of the Continent, it is of extremely rare occurrence 

 in the British Isles. Mr. P. F. Bunyard has a blue egg from 

 a Hedge-Sparrow's nest in his collection, the history of which 

 seems to be satisfactory, but though some evidence has been 

 adduced in other cases, it is iisually defective or unreliable. — 

 F.C.R.J. 



Increase of Little Owl in Nottinghamshire. — Mr. W. 

 Daws considers (Zool. 1915, p. 395) that the Little Owl 

 (Athene n. noctua) is increasing in the Mansfield district, as he 

 has heard of a fairly large number being shot and three have 

 been sent to him " recently, the last on August 28th." The 

 Little Owl was only recently noted as a breeding bird in the 

 county (c/. antea, Vol. VII., p. 55). 



Land-Rail Breeding on St. Kilda. — Mr. W. Eagle Clarke 

 in announcing that the Land-Rail (Crex crex) bred on St. 

 Kilda in 1915, states that so far as he knows, the bird has 

 not been mentioned as occurring there for the last seventy-five 

 years {Scot. Nat., 1915, p. 333). 



