OTES 



MARKING BIRDS IN SCOTLAND. 

 May I trespass on your space to the extent of a few lines to 

 draw the attention of readers of British Birds to a scheme 

 for marking birds which we have just set afoot ? This 

 inquiry into bird migration is to be carried out from the 

 Natural History Department of the University of Aberdeen. 

 The details are similar to those of the Rossitten enterprise, 

 O: which I have already given some description in these 

 pages (Vol. II., p. 362). As I understand that our enterprise 

 is to be closely followed by the appearance in the field of a 

 similar one to be carried out under the auspices of this 

 magazine, I cannot make any appeal here for co-operators 

 to assist in the work of marking, and therefore confine myself 

 to asking that any readers of British Birds finding one of 

 our marked birds will return the ring, preferably with the 

 foot or even the whole bird, with particulars of date, locality, 

 etc., to " Bird Migration Inquiry, Natural History Depart- 

 ment, The University, Aberdeen, N.B." We shall refund 

 postage whenever desired. Our rings are marked " Aberdeen 

 University " on the sizes for Lapwing and upwards, but we 

 hope to get some returns for small birds marked with the 

 contracted address (in smaller characters) " Abdn. Univ." 

 There is a registered number on each ring. 



A. Landsborough Thomson. 



THE REDSTART IN SUSSEX. 



Although the Redstart comes in quite well amongst the 

 usual rush of summer migrants, it is, so far as I can gather 

 from personal as well as from outside sources, an extremely 

 rare breeder in Sussex. In the Weald it is practically non- 

 existent, as it is in the vicinity of the coast round Eastbourne, 

 Brighton, and Worthing, to enumerate but a few spots. I am, 

 therefore, anxious to know if any of your numerous readers 

 have found the nest in Sussex, and if so, when and where. 

 By detailing this matter much valuable assistance would, be 

 lent to my forthcoming work on Sussex ornithology. It is a 

 remarkable fact that the Redstart should be so rare in Sussex, 

 seeing that in parts of Kent, at any rate, it is quite a common 

 bird. So it is in Essex. 



John Walpole-Bond. 



