262 Ornithological Notes, by Valentine Knight, Esq. 



or Sabini, but of this I am not certain. Should the bird above 

 described be a veritable S. Sabini, or a variety of it, I believe it 

 is the first specimen obtained in Scotland. And in concluding 

 this notice, I may call attention to a remark of Mr Stevenson's, 

 in his highly interesting account ; " Not the least singular feature 

 in the history of this bird, is the fact that hitherto it has not been 

 met with out of the British Islands, a circumstance equally re- 

 markable whether the bird is regarded as a melanism of S. Gallin- 

 ago, or as a new and distinct species." 



Great Snipe (Scolopax major). — A fine specimen of the 

 "Solitary" or "Double" Snipe was shot on the 31st ult., at 

 Warrenton Moor, near Belford, Northumberland, by W. L. 

 Miller, 'Esq., of Berwick-on-Tweed. His setter pointed it 

 amongst some " benty grass, and it lay till he was within three 

 yards — its flight was low and very heavy." This bird was ex- 

 cessively fat — as is almost always the case with the specimens 

 shot on their arrival — and weighed 8f ounces. It was kindly 

 presented to me by Mr Miller, and forms an interesting and 

 valuable addition to my collection. This species bas been pro- 

 cured frequently before in the same district — once at Twizell, by 

 the late Mr Selby. 



Greenshank (Totanus glottis). — On the 2nd October last, I shot 

 a very fine specimen, an adult female, on Beal salt marshes ; it 

 was in company with three others. On the following day, on the 

 same ground, I shot a second, an immature female, and, strange 

 to say, this also was in company with three others. I afterwards 

 saw several single birds, one of wbich rose out of one of the 

 numerous small ditches, and "almost from under my feet ; how- 

 ever, having shot two, I stayed my hand, not wishing to destroy 

 more of such a scarce species. Erom the numbers I have seen 

 the last two seasons, I cannot help thinking the Greenshank by 

 no means such a rare visitant to the Northumberland coast, as 

 by some supposed ; in fact I believe that from the middle or end 

 of August to the end of October, it is to be met with any day on 

 Holy Island, or on the mainland opposite, if looked for. 



Little Grebe (Podiceps minor). — A pair of these birds bred 

 last summer (as well as the previous one) on the* banks of the 

 Teviot, in the neighbourhood of old Roxburgh Mill. I have 

 watched the interesting little family on frequent occasions up to 

 the end of November, and twice was fortunate enough to witness 



