report on scottish ornithology in 1 92 1 si 



Ringing. 



The returns of marked birds in 192 1 are unfortunately 

 few, but several are of sufficient interest to chronicle. A 

 Starling ringed at Broughty Ferry on 5th June 1921, was 

 recovered at Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, on 14th August 

 1 92 1, and a Kestrel ringed at Torrance, near Glasgow, on 

 24th June 191 7, was reported from Ben Venue, Perthshire, 

 on 25th February 192 1. A Cormorant ringed on the Summer 

 Isles, Ross-shire, on 25th July 1919, was reported from 

 Lochindorbh, Morayshire, early in June 192 1. All the 

 above records are taken from British Birds, vol. xv., pp. 

 Ill and 112, where a most interesting series of returns of 

 ringed Lesser Black-backed Gulls is also to be found. Since 

 these are not Scottish we do not quote them here, but 

 commend them to the notice of all students of migration. 



Plumage. 



On 22nd April, at Arbroath, a Rook was seen with " black 

 and white wings"; an interesting note, from Inverness- 

 shire, by Clifford Borrer (2. xv. 18), tells us that the nestling, 

 and even the embryo Scottish Crested Tit show a well- 

 developed tuft of hair-like down on the top of the head, 

 though otherwise almost naked. Two pure white Blackbirds 

 were seen at Birkhill, Fife, on 7th July, and Colonel H. 

 Wedderburn {in lit. to Mr Berry) says, " They must be 

 this year's young birds and belonging to the same nest. 

 Both birds are absolutely pure white ; the bills are, at present, 

 white and the eyes the ordinary colour." On the 28th June 

 a nest and eggs of the Merlin were seen at Hareshawmuir, 

 the male bird of the pair being in the second-year plumage. 

 A pure white Mallard was seen among hundreds of normal 

 birds on the Kirkcaldy waterworks on ist January. In July 

 a fully adult Gannet on the Bass Rock had not a single 

 dark feather to be seen, the white extending to the tip 

 of the wings ; the buff coloration of the head and neck 

 was very pale (2. xv. 82). 



An albino Herring-gull is reported from Fair Isle on 

 8th June, and this our correspondent there believes to have 

 125 AND 126 L 



