BIRDS. 139 



him saying, that when in a boat on the Loch of Stenness, he 

 saw a Snowy Owl, which passed within 150 yards of them. 



Mr. Eanken tells us that a fine specimen of this bird was 

 shot at Lopness, Sanday, by the late Mr. Strang in 1844. This 

 bird is nearly pure white, and is in the possession of Mr. Eanken, 

 whose brother-in-law, Mr. Hebden of Eday, has also a beautiful 

 specimen, shot by his father at the Red Head of Eday. 



Mr. Harvey tells us that one was shot in Sanday, Oct. 1869, 

 while eating a rabbit. Mr. Eeid sends us a note that these 

 birds are frequently seen and shot. 



There is a stuffed specimen in the collection of Mr. Denison 

 of West Brough, Sanday, which was obtained in that island, and 

 is perhaps the one referred to as having been shot in 1869. 



Under date of Oct. 29th, 1889, Mr. Eanken informs us in a 

 letter that "there is a large white owl in Sanday just now, 

 most likely a Snowy Owl." 



Nyctale tengmalmi (Gmel). Tengmalm's Owl. 



[Obs. In a note by Mr. Moodie-Heddle is the following : " This 

 (Tengmalm's Owl) was killed at Melsetter, Nov. 7th, 1851, by 

 Dr. M. F. Heddle. The bird had remained all summer in a 

 tree near the house, within 12 feet of the dining-room window. 

 Dr. Heddle, who had only arrived the evening before, was not 

 aware of this, and killed it with such a large charge of snipe- 

 shot at close range, that the skin was spoilt the wings, how- 

 ever, were put in spirits. 1 



" The bird was not very like the usual coloured figures in 

 Jardine's Naturalist's Library, etc., being less reddish coloured, 

 and the wings spotted with yellow like a Golden Plover's, but 

 the spots larger." This is the bird referred to by Gray in his 

 Birds of the West of Scotland. 



We have also a notice of another of these birds from Mr. 

 Cowan of Tankerness House, who informs us that a Tengmalm's 

 Owl was seen at Eendall, on the Mainland, by Major Beadnell, 

 E.A., in 1882, and Mr. Cowan adds that the Major is a com- 

 petent judge. 



We think the foregoing evidence scarcely sufficient to 



1 The wings are not now forthcoming. 



