346 BRITISH BIRDS. 



were several others like it in the covey. Three examples of 

 the typical P. montana were shot at Albrighton, near 

 Shrewsbury, on October 6th, 1905. 



H. E. Forrest. 



[Mr. J. R. B. Masefield kindly sends us a copy of a paper 

 on a number of occurrences of this variety in Staffordshire 

 which he contributed to the " Transactions of the North 

 Staffordshire Field Club " (1902, pp. 65-68, with Plate), and 

 he tells us that he has examined from time to time examples 

 showing almost every possible gradation between what may 

 be termed the true P. montana and the normal P. cinerea. 

 The erythristic variety of the Partridge, as is well-known, 

 constantly occurs and recurs in many parts of this country, 

 and the subject is of considerable interest in that no satis- 

 factory reason, so far as we know, has as yet been adduced 

 to explain the much more persistent nature of erythrism in 

 this, than in apparently in any other, species. — Eds.] 



Rare Birds on the Isle of May (Firth of Forth). — We 

 referred in our last volume (p. 295) to the results of a visit 

 to this island in 1907 by two energetic lady ornithologists. 

 In 1908 the island was again visited by Miss Evelyn V. Baxter, 

 from September 10th to October 9th, and w^e extract the most 

 important results from her paper in the " Annals of Scottish 

 Natural History " (1909, pp. 5-20). Red-spotted Blue- 

 throat {Cyanecula suecica). — Single birds were seen on 

 September 22nd and 23rd, two on the 24th, and several on 

 the 25th, and one on October 5th. Yellow-browed 

 Warbler {Phylloscopus superciliosus). — One on September 

 22nd, one on the 24th, one on the 25th, and another on October 

 3rd. British Coal Tit {Parus ater britannicvs). — One pro- 

 cured October 1st. British Blue Tit {Parus cceruleus 

 obscurus). — One on September 30th. [Both these records 

 are interesting as there is little proof that Tits are wanderers. 

 White Wagtail {Motacilla alba). — Four or five adults on 

 September 20th. Great Grey Shrike [Lanius excubitor). — 

 One on October 25th. Scarlet Grosbeak {Pyrrhula ery- 

 thrina). — An adult female on September 12th. 



Miss Baxter also kindly informs us that the Robins and 

 Gold crests which she obtained have been examined at the 

 Royal Scottish Museum and pronounced to be of the British 

 race. 



Black Redstarts in co. Waterford. — Mr. R. J. Ussher 

 caught a female or immature male Ruticilla titys at Cappagh 



