60 Trciiisuctions. 



NOTES OF THE OCCURRENCE OF SOME SCARCE 

 BIRDS. By William Hastings. 



Read Decemher 5th, 1879. 



The past year (October, 1878, to October, 1879, inclusive) has 

 l)een one of much suffering amongst the birds, several species, 

 particularly the Fieldfares and Redwings, having been entirely 

 killed out during the long-continued frost that we had diu'ing the 

 months from November to March. I have made many enquiries 

 as to whether these two sjjecies of birds have made any appeax-ance 

 this autumn, but I cannot hear of any having been seen. How 

 GUI' common resident bii-ds, even including the Rooks, managed to 

 subsist is beyond my comprehension. Next to the Fieldfares and 

 Redwings, the Herons, Water Hens, Coots, and Teals seemed to 

 have been the greatest suflerers, and very many of these were sent 

 me that had died of starvation. Amongst the rarer species sent 

 me for preservation I may mention the Longtailed Duck (Harelda 

 glacialis, L.), which is seldom met with in this locality, and I 

 have only had one other specimen of it previously throiigh my 

 hands. It is the only Duck I have ever seen that admits of 

 being skinned over the head without the necessity of making an 

 incision in the nape or throat so as to get the skull cleaned. 

 Another rare species that I had was the Smew (Meryus albellus 

 L.), very handsome in form and colouring. Goosanders were 

 very numerous — more than I ever had in any previous winter. I 

 also received several Pintails (Dajlla acuta, L.), and many more 

 than usual of Wigeons ( Mareca penelope, L.), Pochards (Fuligula 

 ferina, L.), and male Golden Eyes (Clangida glaucion, L.) Most 

 of these species did not seem to have suifered much on account of 

 the frost, as they were generally in good condition. I had also a 

 few specimens of the Tufted Duck (Fidigida cristata, Leach), 

 which is by no means common in our two counties. In the 

 beginning of August a specimen of the Shoveller Duck (Spatula 

 clypeata, L.), shot in Kirkmahoe, was sent me. This is a most 

 imusual time for the Shoveller to be met with here ; and as it was 

 a young bii-d (female), I believe it must have been bred in the 

 locality. I had also a specimen of the Great Crested Grebe 

 (Fodiceps cristatus) from Wigtownshii-e, in winter plumage : I 



