Birds. 6975 



Great Shearwater (Puffin us major) and Dusky Shearwater (P. oh- 

 scurus). Only winter visitors. 



Storm Petrel {Thalassidroma jpelagica). A visitor, like the rest of 

 its kindred, but more frequent, and may be met with at intervals all 

 the year round. The superstitious dread of this little bird by sailors 

 and fishermen is well known. 



With the storm petrel ends my List of the Birds of Banffshire. 

 Many species given as " rare " may turn out to be of frequent occur- 

 rence, and many given as "occasional visitors'" may prove to be 

 natives. Species, too, not mentioned in this List may have to be 

 included in the birds of the county; and no one will be more pleased 

 to hear of such additions than mj^self. 



Thomas Edward. 



Note on the Barn Swallow of Jamaica (Hirundo americana). — I observe that [the 

 late lamented] Mr. Osbuin, in his Jamaica notes, (Zool. 6878) reffis to a -'seventh 

 species of Hiruudine," which he says " might easily be taken for the English bird, H. 

 rustica, but it is, I think, ruddier beneath, and has on the outer vane of each tail- 

 feather a conspicuous white oval spot. It may possibly prove to be the American 

 barn swallow. That the bird so imperfectly described is the Hirundo americana I 

 have little doubt, but then the white spots would be on the inner webs of each tail- 

 feather, excepting the two middle ones, as in our chimney swallow, which I have 

 remarked in my Canada notes, that it greatly resembles (Zool. 6705). "Its tail 

 (Hirundo americana) is forked ; and this bird, in shape, colour and manner of flight, 

 bears so strong a resemblance to the chimney swallow of Europe, that even an 

 ornithologist might be excused for mistaking it on the wing." Possibly the above 

 may be a misprint, for the following note by Mr. Gosse, instead of clearing up 

 the point, leaves it more obscure than ever. He remarks: " Or H. fulva, perhaps, 

 but neither of these species has any white on the inner vanes of the tail-feathers." 

 Having shot and closely examined more than one barn swallow — which are now on 

 the table before me^ — I can answer for the correctness of Wilson's description (see vol. 

 ii. p. 43) : — " The barn swallow of the United States has hith.erto been considered by 

 many writers as the same with the common chimney swallow of Europe. They differ, 

 however, considerably in colour, as well as in habits, &c." But even Maogillivray 

 seems to have been impressed with the idea of their being the same ; fur he observes 

 (vol. iii. p. 572) : — " If this species be identical with the American bird bearing the same 

 name, as it appears to be, although several ornithologists have considered it difi"eient, 

 &c." I am one of the nonconformists ; for of its being a distinct species I have not 

 a shadow of doubt ; for not only does it difier materially in colour, but in size 

 and habits. Never building in chimneys, it cannot, with propriety, be named the 

 chimney swallow. As I have not a skin of Hirundo fulva to refer to, I must quote 

 Wilson and Bonaparte's Ornithology, in refutation of Mr. Gosse's notion that it may 

 be a bird of this species that has been remarked on by Mr. Osburn (vol. iv. p. 79:) — 



