358 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



was formerly possible, and to judge very much better of then- 

 real proportions. The allied species are also more favourably 

 placed for comparison, and it may thus be confidently expected 

 that visitors to the Zoological Gardens, who, as a rule, know 

 very little about Eeptiles, will, with the facilities now afforded 

 them, soon become much better instructed. 



The Council of the Zoological Society may well be con- 

 gratulated on the completion of this much needed addition to the 

 Gardens, which, architecturally, as well as from an educational 

 point of view, appears admirably suited to the purpose for which 

 it has been designed. 



ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM SKYE. 

 By the Rev. Hugh A. Macpheuson. 



Having spent a month in Skye last spring, as I did in 1882 

 (see Zool. 1882, p. 418), I venture again to offer my rough jottings 

 to your readers. In justice to the fauna of Skye, it is right to 

 say that I had even less time to examine it than last year, owing 

 to the presence of the Crofters' Commission, and many other 

 demands on my time. 



Of the Thrush tribe the only representative was the Song 

 Thrash, young examples of which flew from the nest at Greshornish 

 on May 8th, with us in Glendale a few days later. Like the Eigg 

 Thrushes, the Skye birds often sing on a roof in the gloaming. 

 I did not see either a Blackbird or Ring Ouzel this year; the 

 latter would have bred one year at Waternish, had not Captain 

 Macdonald killed the male, befoi'e he knew that the female was 

 about. 



The Robin was well represented, and it is strange in what 

 wild situations one meets with this bird in Skye ; on the hill-side, 

 far from houses and even from underwood. The Common Wren 

 was abundant. The Dipper haunts every burn, and nests under 

 small cascades. The Common Whitethroat was represented in 

 Glendale by a single pair, which nested in a gully between Glasphin 

 and Fasach. The Willow Wren is absent from Glendale, but 

 I saw two males at Greshornish on May 17th, and called the 

 attention of the ladies to the song, which was new to them. The 

 Wheatear and Whinchat breed plentifully throughout the parish 





