Recently published Ornithological Works. 143 
of quite a new description, not only on account of its 
seaweed material and beautiful construction, but also from 
its unique position in ^* pig-face^' so very near the ground. 
Silver-eyes and Sericorns seem to be the pioneers of Passerine 
birds. Except for a stray percher or two, they admit of no 
rivalry in their monarchy. 
[To be continued.] 
IX. — Notices of recent Ornithological Publications. 
1. ^Annals of Scottish Natural History.^ 
[The Annals of Scottish Natural History. No. 39, July 1901, and 
No. 40, October 1901.] 
In recording the occurrence of Linota rostrata (Coues) 
from Barra, Outer Hebrides, Mr. W. Eagle Clarke justlv 
observes that ^' a knowledge of the various races of the 
Arctic or Mealy Redpolls inhabiting the Old and the New 
Worlds is desirable for the more precise study of the British 
birds of the group '^ ; but some of us may think that '-' this 
way madness lies " before such knowledge is attained. 
Mr. George Sim^s announcement of the capture of a Black 
Kite {Milvus migrans) near Aberdeen on April 16th last is 
of considerable interest, for this is only the second record 
for Great Britain of a species which is emphatically migra- 
tory and nests annually at no greater distance from us than 
the banks of the Mosel ; so that instances of its more 
frequent occurrence might be reasonably expected. More- 
over there is not much chance of a large raptorial bird 
escaping observation — not to say destruction — in these 
days. Mr. T. G. Laidlaw concludes his Report on the 
movements and occurrences of birds in Scotland during 
1900 ; and from this, as well as from some minor notices 
for 1901, it is evident that the Great Spotted Woodpecker 
(Dryocopus major) is decidedly increasing as regards fre- 
quency of breeding in the south of Scotland. Mr. Sturrock 
states that in the south of Shetland, in 1901, he captured 
a Redstart {Ruticilla phoenicurus) in the act of building a 
