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LIFE OF THE LATE PROFESSOR ALFRED NEWTON. 

 I HAVE been invited to write a Life of the late Professor 

 Alfred Newton. If any of your readers who have letters or 

 reminiscences, or any other interesting information about 

 Professor Newton, will be kind enough to communicate with 

 me at the Savile Club, 107, Piccadilly, W., I shall be 

 exceedingly grateful. I will, of course, undertake to return 

 all letters, etc., to the senders. 



A. F. R. WOLLASTON. 



THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLE. 



In the last issue of " The Annals of Scottish Natural History " 

 (1909, pp. 69-75) Mr. W. Eagle Clarke gives a report on the 

 observations made on this now well-known island during 

 1908. The results are even more extraordinary than in 

 previous years (c/. Vol. L, pp. 233 and 381), and this may be 

 due to the fact that by the generosity of friends Mr. Clarke 

 has been enabled to instal a regular observer in the person of 

 George Stout, a youthful inhabitant of the island, who had 

 already shown himself an apt pupil. Beyond this important 

 arrangement Mr. Clarke himself spent six weeks on the island 

 in the autumn. Mr. Clarke's report is this year confined to 

 those species which are additions to the fauna of the island, 

 and he tells us that a great mass of information is reserved for 

 publication in a further contribution. In those occurrences 

 which are referred to, however, there is a most unfortunate 

 lack of detail, which greatly lessens their interest. The list 

 of Fair Island birds is now brought up to the remarkable total 

 of 185. We learn that Mr. Eagle Clarke has had the good 

 fortune to secure the interest of the proprietor of the island 

 in the investigations, and we understand that Mr. Clarke has 

 now been granted the sole right to shoot on the island. The 

 following is a brief summary of the most notable items : — 



Barred Warbler {Sylvia nisoria). — Several occurred in 

 autumn and were identified beyond doubt. 



Sub ALPINE Warbler {Sylvia subalpina) .—This is one of 

 the most interesting of these remarkable records, but only 

 the bare fact that a bird of this species occurred during the year 

 is chronicled. It will be remembered that the only other 

 known occurrence of this species Avas at St. Kilda on June 

 13th and 14th, 1894 (c/. Saunders' Manual, p. 53). Now 



