688 The Zoologist — April, 1867. 



I find that he has written at random, or, worse again, copied from the 

 errors of others. I saw many adults fully crested, but had promised 

 to myself to kill but three, so I did not destroy any more. 



Tlie Cormorant has not the White Leg at Christmas. — Many 

 cormorants passed me, and none hacklheir " shirts sticking out of their 

 breeches," or, as Thompson says, " the watch under the wing." In 

 another week this plumage is assumed. 



Missel Thrush. — December 25th. The missel thrush was singing on 

 Christmas day. 



The Second Primary of the Wood Wren. — Notwithstanding the 

 dissimilarity said to exist between my sketch (S. S. 300) and the 

 second primary of a wood wren possessed by Captain Hadfield, I can 

 only say that very many agree with my figure. If it had been 

 artistically done it might have looked better and been simpler in its 

 parts had the shaft been brought in, but as it stands it is correct, and 

 could not be otherwise, as I laid the feather down and traced it for 

 accuracy. The relative lengths and the tips of the feathers are the 

 only parts to be looked to for distinction. It will be seen that the points 

 resemble three very common penknife blades in that part. If I am 

 not mistaken I laid Captain Hadfield's feather on my sketch, and 

 found that when pressed flat it just fitted into it. No feather is 

 naturally flat, and I may have erred in making my sketch so, but it is 

 of no conseqnence to the practical man ; the point and the length, 

 where the detraction lies, are accurate. As to Macgillivray's outlines, 

 I find them very inaccurate : I will say no more, but try them. Let it 

 be understood I do not run down Macgillivray : I consider his work 

 on birds the best in Britain, that is the letter-press, and his vignettes 

 about the worst of any modern authors ; they spoil the book. 



Harry Blare- Knox. 



Didkey, County Dublin. 



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

 (Continued from Zool. S. S. 442). 



1866. 



Huff. — Two specimens of the ruff, a species quite new to our 



Shetland catalogue, were obtained in this island in September, one on 



the 8th, the other on the 26th. The first, a female, was shot in some 



marshy ground near the Loch of Cliff. The bill was nearly black, 



