464 Ornithological Notes, by Robert Gray, F.R.S.E. 



servation, before the end of October. Like the Rough-legged 

 Buzzard, these Owls were in beautiful plumage, and many of them 

 no doubt, arrived from other shores in their company. 



White Wagtail. — {Motacilla alba.) I observed two speci- 

 mens of the White Wagtail flying about some heaps of manure in 

 a field near Burntisland, in Fifeshiie, on 2nd October, 1875, and 

 I record the circumstance here in the belief that if regularly 

 looked for in East Lothian and Berwickshire it will yet be found 

 in small numbei's in both counties. It appears to be livelier in 

 its movements than the Field Wagtail, to which it is very closely 

 allied. Of late years it has been found to be rather a common 

 bird in the Orkney Islands ; and my friend, Capt. Feilden, ob- 

 served it frequently in the Faroe Islands. From one of my note 

 books, I find that I saw one of these birds near Strachur, on the 

 banks of Loch Fyne, on 14th September, 1873. 



Hooded Crow. — (Gorvus comix.) This bird is strictly a winter 

 visitant in East Lothian and Berwickshire, where it chiefly fre- 

 quents the sea-coast in small flocks for the purpose of feeding on 

 what the tide throws upon the beach. During the severe frost of 

 December, 1874, immense numbers of starlings, pipits, snow- 

 buntings, redwings, and fieldfares succumbed to the weather, 

 and at various places along shore, from Berwick to Aberlady, 

 were seen dropping into the water through sheer exhaustion. 

 These became the prey of the Hooded Crows, numbers of which 

 were hovering in the vicinity on the look-out for the perishing 

 birds. At low water, in such localities as Aberlady Bay and the 

 Tyne estuary, the sands bore ample evidence of the slaughter 

 carried on by these Crows — quantities of feathers and half-de- 

 voured bodies being strewn upon the beach. 



Roller. — (Coracias garrula.) It may not be out of place here 

 to state that a young male Roller was shot at Dalhousie, near 

 Lasswade, within ten miles of Edinburgh, by Mr Dickson, game- 

 keeper, on 14th Octobei', 1874, 



Turtle Dove. — (Columba turtur.) One flew on board a ship 

 when opposite Dunbar, in June, 1872. 



Red-legged Partridge. — (Perdix rufa.) Mr Scot-Skirving 

 informs me that Mr Hope, of Luffness, has introduced this beau- 

 tiful bird into East Lothian, and that it is now abundant — large 

 coveys being: in the habit of frequenting Gullane Hill. 



Purple Heron. — (Ardea purpurea.) An immature female bird 

 of this species was shot near Dalkeith, on 21st October, 1872. As 

 the Purple Heron is a bird of extreme rarity in Scotland, I may 

 be allowed this opportunity of mentioning that five days pre- 

 viously, namely, on the 16th October, one, also in immature 

 plumage, was shot on the old links at Aberdeen, and is now in 

 the College Museum of that city. I am indebted to Mr George 

 Sim for a note of the occurrence. 



