9170 Birds. 
Gannet.—Have occasionally observed them fishing in the Frith, but 
at a considerable distance from the shore. They descend on their 
prey with amazing velocity, sending the spray many feet into the air: 
they often turn sharp round before taking the plunge; in doing this 
the body is distorted, but their general movements are light and 
buoyant. 
Song Thrush.—January 13. Heard the song of a thrush, but the 
notes were not prolonged. 
Redwing.—January 13. Saw a bird of this species. 
Cole Tit—January 13. Several were observed. 
Goldencrested Regulus.—January 13. A few were seen. 
Missel Thrush.—January 13. Observed a pair in the garden cowering 
on the ground at the foot of a tree to shelter themselves from the tem- 
pest. Unlike a “storm cock” this! 
Black Guillemot.—January 15. Shot a bird of this species on the 
Frith. 
Razorbilled Auk.—January. Frequently observed. 
Snow Bunting.—January 22. First observed the snow bunting near 
Burghead on a barren and uncultivated tract of land, thickly dotted 
with furze, and skirted towards the beach by sand-hillocks covered 
with sea-grass (Zostera marina). They were in small straggling flocks, 
but easy of approach, and when fired at would often realight at no 
great distance, so I had no difficulty in procuring specimens; one, a 
splendid old male, so white as to have been quite remarkable. A dark 
grub was found in the gullet of one, and a few grains of corn and 
pieces of quartz in the stomach. On other occasions flocks were seen 
feeding on the shore, running among the sea-weed, but keeping close 
to the sand-mounds, which they occasionally traversed, though seldom 
diverging from the coast line. 
Sky Lark.— February 20. First heard the song of the sky lark: the 
day was bright, and the thermometer had risen to 50°. 
Rooks.—February 27. ‘Though there was not one to be seen among 
the lofty trees of the rookery at Gordonstone, I observed hundreds in 
a field of newly-sprouted corn, so busily engaged, too, that my 
approach was seemingly unnoticed. I now remarked that they walked 
and fed in pairs, and could distinguish the sexes; besides when 
flushed they generally rose and flew in pairs, alighting in the same 
order. I disturbed them again and again, but always with the same 
result, except here and there a straggler. March 6. Found the rooks 
very clamorous, so that they were heard long before they were seen. 
The cawing proceeded from a grove of Scotch firs with bare and _ 
