118 BRITISH BIRD?. [vol. xv. 



of the sides by the white upper tail-coverts. There seems to 

 be no doubt that this bird must have been a Ruff [Philomachus 

 pugnax). R. M. Garnett. 



Hawfinch's Nest in Aberdeenshire. — Mr. D. G. Hunter 

 states {Scot. Nat., 1920, p. 183), that a deserted nest which 

 he found at Methhck on July i6th, 1920, has been identified 

 by Dr. W. E. Clarke and Mr. W. Evans as that of Coccothraitstes 

 coccothraustes. The Hawfinch has not hitherto been recorded 

 as breeding north of East Fife. 



Blue-headed Wagtail in Ayrshire. — Mr. N. Hopkins 

 states {Scot. Nat., 1920, p. 182) that he saw a Blue-headed 

 Wagtail {Motacilla f. jiava), of which he gives a good descrip- 

 tion, on June 15th, 1920, and four following days, at Darvel. 



Reported Nesting of White Wagtail in Kincardine- 

 shire. — Mr. A. Macdonakl reports {Scot. Nat., 1920. p. 184) 

 that a pair of Motacilla a. alba built a nest and laid five eggs 

 in his garden at Durris in June 1920. He states that White 

 Wagtails were seen in the neighbourhood during the three 

 previous springs. He describes both birds, which were under 

 constant close observation, as being light grey on the back. 



Tree-Creepers on the Isle of May. — Miss L. J. Rintoul 

 and Miss E. V. Baxter state {Scot. Nat., 1921, p. 75) that two 

 Tree-Creepers obtained on the Isle of May on September 26th 

 and October 21st, 1920, proved to be of the British race 

 Certhia familiaris brittanica. This has interest as very little 

 has been observed of the movements of Tree-Creepers. 



Marsh-Tit in Berwickshire. — The Marsh-Tit {Parus p. 

 dyesscri) has never been definitely recorded from north of the 

 Border, all those which have been critically examined having 

 proved to be Willow-Tits. Mr. T. G. Laidlaw now states 

 {Scot. Nat., 1921, p. 85) that he had a very clear and close 

 view at Duns Castle on Januar}- 25th, 1920, of a Tit whose 

 head was glossy black and not dull as in the Willow-Tit. He 

 does not, however, mention the characteristic double note of 

 the Marsh-Tit but refers to the note of the bird as " tay tay." 



Crested Tit in Forfarshire. — Mr. D. G. Hunter records 

 {Scot. Nat., 1920, p. 178) that he saw a Crested Tit {Pants 

 cristatus ? subsp.) on September 22nd, 1920, near Arbroath. 



Buff-coloured Blackbird in Somerset. — Mr. Joseph H. 

 Symes reports that he saw a Blackbird {Tiirdus m. merula) of 

 a uniform light buff colour at Martock, Somerset^ earh' in 

 August 1 92 1 



