BIRDS. 163 



wrote, when they mention that one was got in S. Eonaldsay in 

 1840. 



Family PLATALEID-ffl. 



Platalea leucorodia, L. Spoonbill. 



On October 22d, 1859, Mr. W. Eeid saw a Spoonbill in the 

 "Peerie Sea," close to Kirkwall, which was fired at but not 

 killed. He purchased one, out of five specimens that had been 

 shot three days before on Shapinsay, for 2s. 6d. ; they came 

 after a north-east gale, and there were nine in the flock. 



Speaking of these same birds Mr. Bryce M. Ranken says he 

 saw two of those that were shot ; one, a small specimen, had 

 the irides red, the other ash-coloured. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle has a note that a Spoonbill was killed 

 by his father near Kirkwall in 1861, and that he had it stuffed. 



On October the 10th, 1889, four Spoonbills were observed at 

 the loch of Burness, in Westray, and two were killed by local 

 gunners living on the loch side. One of these was shot by 

 Thos. Seater, Burnhouse, and is now in the possession of Mr. 

 Peace, architect, Kirkwall. It is an immature bird; the ends 

 of the primaries are grey, there is no occipital crest, and only 

 a faint yellow tinge on the feathers on the front of the breast. 

 The other was shot by Thos. Rendall, Longhouse. This bird 

 was allowed to rot, as no one cared to have it. 



For the foregoing particulars we are partly indebted to Mr. 

 Monteith-Ogilvie. 



Family IBIDJE. 



Plegadis falcinellus (L.). Glossy Ibis, 



Mr. Ranken's father writes,, under date September 17th, 1857: 

 " To-day I saw in Dr. Duguid's possession a specimen of this 

 ram avis, shot in Orkney. Upon the head there was a semi- 

 circle of dull white feathers, very narrow, extending from above 

 each eye." The bird was shot by Mr. Hewison at the head 

 of Work (? Waulk), near Kirkwall. 



