Birds. 9435 



can scarcely have been oveilooked by Mr. Boultou. — W. Jeffery, jun. ; Ratham, 

 Chichester, November 10, 1864. 



Ornithological Notes from Shetland. By Henry L. Saxby, M.D. 



(Continued from page 9405). 



Ring Ouzel. — On the 1st of October a ring ouzel was seen at the 

 Burn of Watley, upon the very spot where I saw a bird of the same 

 species last June ; and on the 21st of October, after a very severe gale 

 from the north-east, I shot a fine specimen in the garden at EJalli- 

 garth. In colour it precisely resembled an adult female, the semi- 

 lunar mark upon the breast being clouded with light dusky brown, 

 and the bill having no yellow upon it, except at the base of the under 

 mandible; but dissection proved it to be a male, and its immature 

 age was indicated by the peculiar appearance at the angle of the 

 mouth. The bird was extremely shy and restless, flitting from tree to 

 tree, seldom remaining for many seconds upon the same branch, and 

 always, as it flew, uttering a sound which was similar to the well- 

 known " chat-chat" of the wheatear. The stomach contained a few 

 mountain ash berries, and the extraordinary quantity of fat upon 

 various parts of the body afforded ample proof of previous good 

 living. 



Sclavonian Grebe (Podiceps cornutus). — Although a winter seldom 

 passes without one or more individuals of this species being observed 

 in this neighbourhood, specimens are very difficult to obtain. One 

 which was shot in a fresh-water loch, about a mile from the sea, was 

 brought to me on the 2nd of October. It was a female, in a state of 

 plumage similar to that described in Morris's ' Birds ' as being pecu- 

 liar to autumn. The stomach was completely filled with fibrous roots 

 and a large quantity of feathers, some of which, when washed and 

 dried, closely resembled those upon the throat and fore neck of the 

 bird itself. The iris was of two colours, a narrow ring surrounding 

 the pupil being white, the outer ring crimson, tinged with vermilion ; 

 from the angle of the mouth to the front of the eye there was a naked 

 streak of the latter colour. This species, although occasionally ob- 

 served in fresh water, seems to prefer some quiet inlet of the sea, 

 where it may usually be seen diving in shallow water among rocks 

 and floating weeds. Its rarity has prevented me from becoming well 

 acquainted with its habits, but it is said to be very shy and watchful, 

 and to be capable of remaining submerged for more than a minute 



