Prof. Duns on Infiiience of Recent Storm on Bird Life. 65 



plenty of heather, swept bare over large areas by the high 

 winds. As to number, I shall give you what I have seen 

 myself within the range of a common gunshot — 18 redwings, 

 9 thrushes, 6 blackbirds, 2 woodcocks, 2 curlews, 1 black- 

 headed bush-chatterer, 1 hedge sparrow, 1 chaffinch, 1 snipe, 

 a weasel and a mole ; they were all about or near the garden. 

 I account for so many in such a small space by their seeking 

 shelter from the north and east winds under the southern 

 face of the high overhanging rock behind my house." In a 

 note of date 4th current, Mr Campbell says that, since he last 

 wrote, he has picked up in the neighbourhood 9 curlews 

 {Nnmenius arciuata), 2 golden plovers {Pluvialis aurea), and 

 many more of the kinds referred to previously. With refer- 

 ence to these notes, I may point out that the so-called 

 heather-chatterer is the black-headed bush-chat, or stone- 

 chat as it is sometimes called (Silvia rubicola) ; it is occa- 

 sionally found in Scotland during the winter, though it is 

 not frequent. The pair of thrushes referred to are fieldfares 

 (Turdus pilaris), about whose identity Mr Campbell hesitates. 

 One hardly wonders at this hesitation, their forms, which I now 

 show to the Society, are so much more beautiful than usual. 

 The plumage of the woodcock is also very fine, though the bird 

 was in very poor condition. It seemed literally to have lost 

 all its flesh. The keel of the sternum was almost sharp as a 

 knife, and the body of the sternum felt as if its only covering 

 was a hard thin skin, the plump padding of muscle having 

 been lost. The weasel (Mustela erminea) noticed above merits 

 a word. As described, it was very pretty when it reached 

 me, more so than now, though it is even yet attractive. The 

 fur is only partially whitened. I refer to it chiefly with the 

 view of asking. Is it a young form, and does complete 

 albinism take place only when its second winter sets in ? 

 If so, what becomes of the disguise theory ? I have another 

 specimen similarly marked, which was killed in the dead 

 of a severe winter, and have seen others. But this by the 

 way. 



Banffshire. — Both Mr Ferguson and my Ledaig correspon- 

 dent refer to grouse. On the 30th December 1878 the fol- 

 lowing note appeared in the Scotsman : 



VOL. V. E 



