66 The Zoologist — February, 1866 



Twite. — Twites have now gathered into large flocks. In 

 winter, as well as in summer, adult males have red upon the 

 lower part of the back, but in the former season the colour is far 

 less brilliant. 



Brent Goose. — On the 6th (wind W.) two fine brent geese, both 

 males, were killed at one shot upon a small loch at Whale Ayr, close 

 to the sea. No others were seen. 



Fieldfare. — A small flock of fieldfares arrived on the I2th, and a 

 larger one on the 19th. On both occasions the wind was blowing 

 strongly from the N.E. 



Goldeneye and Tufted Duck. — On the 14th I observed small parties 

 of goldeneyes and tufted ducks upon the loch at Belmont, where, T was 

 told, they arrived about ten days previously. One of the former species 

 which fell winged into the water, afterwards escaped two shots by 

 diving. I then sent the dog in after it, but it dived almost under his 

 very jaws, and 1 never saw it again. 



Rock Pipit. — As soon as the snow commenced, on the 16th, large 

 numbers of rock pipits collected from the fields and assembled in the 

 gardens at Halligarth, where many of them still remain. 



Common Bunting. — On the 17lh a brisk gale from the N.E. brought 

 a large flock of buntings, but, contrary to their custom, they disappeared 

 a few days afterwards. 



Lapwing. — Lapwings left us, as usual, as soon as their young were 

 fully fledged : I was therefore not a little surprised to see an individual 

 of this species by the loch at Buness on the 19th, after a stiff" breeze 

 from the N.E. Last year I saw one on the 26th of November, but 

 upon that occasion a gale was blowing from the S.E. 



Shorteared Owl. — A number of shorteared owls arrived between the 

 14th and 29th, during a succession of gales from the N. and N.E. 

 They kept mostfy to the hills, but I saw one at Halligarth sitting com- 

 posedly upon the ground beneath some bushes. It must have been 

 sleeping, for it allowed me to walk up within a yard of where it was 

 sitting, and had I observed it in time I might easily have crept up and 

 caught it. 



Siskin. — The siskin is extremely rare in this island. I was delighted 

 to observe a flock of about two dozen in the garden on the 24th. They 

 were rather wild, but with a little caution I succeeded in obtaining two 

 specimens, which, however, I have not yet had leisure to examine. 



Woodcock. — On the 28th I saw a woodcock rise from among some 

 dead leaves in the garden. 



