NOTES. 345 



VELVET-SCOTER IN SHROPSHIRE. 



Hitherto the only known instance of the occurrence of 

 CEdemia fusca in Shropshire was an adult male found 

 exhausted near Whitchurch on November 23rd, 1866. It was 

 preserved by John Shaw, of Shrewsbury, who recorded it at 

 the time in the " Field." Mr. F. Coburn, of Birmingham, 

 recently informed me of a second example which came into 

 his hands — an immature female shot on December 12th, 1890, 

 at Clungunford, near Ludlow, by Mr. Graham Williams. 



H. E. Forrest. 



INCREASE OF WOOD-PIGEONS IN ORKNEY. 



It is recorded in Howard Saunders' "Manual" that the 

 Wood- Pigeon is pushing northwards, and breeds locally and 

 sparingly in the Orkney Islands. It may be interesting to 

 note that during the last two years — 1907-08 — I have found 

 the bird breeding in increasing numbers in the Island of 

 Shapinshay, Orkney Islands. I noticed in 1907 at least two 

 pairs in the trees round Balfour Castle, and last year I shot 

 two and picked up one young bird dead in the garden of 

 Balfour Castle, and frequently saw eight or nine birds on the 

 grass opposite the castle. I may add the bird is most 

 destructive in the garden at Balfour, and already the damage 

 done is considerable to the kitchen garden crops. 



James R. Hale. 



RED VARIETY (P. MONTANA) OF THE COMMON 

 PARTRIDGE. 



As the note in the last number of British Birds (p. 311) 

 conveys the impression that Lord Forester's specimens are 

 the only examples of the rufous form of Partridge obtained 

 in Shropshire, it may be of interest to state that it has been 

 met with in several places. There is a specimen in the British 

 Museum from Acton Reynald, near Shrewsbury. An example 

 described in the " Field," November, 1902, was shot at 

 Farmcote, near Bridgnorth. Earlier in the same year Mr. H. L. 

 Horsfall obtained four Partridges at Gatacre Park, Bridgnorth, 

 one of which he sent me for examination. It was of the same 

 dark red hue as P. montana beneath, but the back was 

 beautifully spangled with creamy- white, on a dark ground. It 

 closely resembled the variety figured by Mr. Frohawk in the 

 " Field," February 13th, 1897. A similar bird in the museum at 

 Whitchurch, Salop, was shot near that place in the autumn 

 of 1902, by Mr. J. M. Etches, who informed me that there 



