304 mirriSH BIRDS [VOL. ix. 



we have alreadv referied to records for the autumn of 1918 

 (c/. Vol. VII. /p. 236). 



Song-Thrush Feeding on Flowers. — In our last volume 

 (p. 245) we drew attention to some observations on a Black- 

 bird feeding on daisy flowers and a Thrush feeding its young 

 with the same flower. Mr. J. K. Nash, who made the latter 

 observation, now states {Scot. A^nf. 1916, p. 23) that in 

 1915 he saw a fully-fledged young Song-Thrush being fed by 

 its parent with the tlower-heads of the meadow-rush [Luzula 

 campestris) in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. 



Bee-eater in Shetland. — Mr. G. W. Russell states 

 {Scot. Nat. 1916, p. 24) that a Merops apiaster (apparently 

 a female) frequented the neighbourhood of Lerwick from 

 July 4th to nth, 1915. 



Velvet-Scoter in co. Roscommon. — ^Ir. J. ffolliott 

 Dailing records (Iris// Nat., 1916. p. 31) that he shot an 

 innnature male Oidemin /'. fvscn in Hodgson's Bay, Lough 

 Ree, on December 27th, 1915. The bird is very rarely 

 found in Ireland. 



" The Relation of the Oystercatcher to n>' Natural 

 Environment." — This is the title of a long series of papers 

 by Dr. J. M. DeAvar, pul)lished in the Zoologist during 1915. 

 In his conclusion the author states that the • general residts 

 of the inquiry point to the mud-flat in winter and the drift- 

 river valley in summer as optimum habitats within the areas 

 under observation. . . The Law of Territory is shown to be 

 valid for the Oystercatcher both in winter and in summer. 

 . . . The necessitj' of conserving the food-su])]>ly for the 

 exclusive use of the settlenient, by the maintenance of 

 territorial rights, is siqipoi'ted by observations made at one 

 Avinter station, where the food-activities of tlie settlenu^ut 

 were found to strain the reproductive powers of the shellllsh 

 of the area." 



Migrants and Moult. — Following their paper on moult 

 in birds whea actually on migration, to which we hnvv already 

 drawn attention (Vol. VIII. ^ p. 245), Miss L. J. Biiitoul and 

 Miss E. V. Baxter now contribute sonu' interesting notes 

 (Scot. Nat., 1916, pp. 5-11) on birds moulting in theii- winter 

 ((uarters. To the same journal (pp. 29-3S), Dr. V. B. Tice- 

 hin-st also contributes a paper entitled " Notes on Migrants 

 and Moult." A perusal of these three papers shows that, 

 not only details of moult, but also the problem of the period 

 of the moult of migrants in relation to Ihoii- movements 

 is a very interesting one and well wortliy ot systematic 

 investigation. 



