2188 Birds. 



back, as it began to rain very heavily, and was blowing a half a gale of wind : 

 however, we rowed under the lee of a little island, and waited awhile to see if it would 

 not moderate, but it still continued to rain and blow : while we lay here we shot three 

 purple sandpipers, nearly in perfect summer dress. As we found it was not likely to 

 get any better, we set our sail to return home ; by this time we were as wet as the rain 

 could make us : when we got within two miles of home we saw some singular-looking 

 birds flying towards us, right ahead of the boat ; they appeared in the distance like 

 small herons, with their legs stuck out behind them ; but as we were going at a rapid 

 rate before the wind, they soon went over our heads. Several of them were quite 

 within gun-shot ; they were BufTon's skua {Lestris parasiticus) : there were ten in 

 number, and some fine long-tailed ones amongst them. I was very glad to see them, 

 but very mortified that I could not shoot them ; for I had just tried the large gun at 

 a cormorant a short time before, and it would not go off, having got wet : the other 

 two guns had refused before. I intend to go out to some of the headlands where the 

 kittiwakes are congregating together to breed, and then perhaps I may fall in with 

 some of them. My reason for mentioning these in particular is because I never saw 

 any either in Orkney or Shetland on my former visits, and this is the first time I have 

 seen them during my residence here. I have noticed the following since I came to 

 reside here, which are not mentioned in my ' Guide.' 



1843, May 8. Observed seven or eight Canada geese flying in a southerly di- 

 rection. 



Observed a large willow wren in my garden. 



Observed a whitethroat in my garden. 



Shot a woodlark close to my house. 



Shot two purple sandpipers (male and female) in summer plumage, 

 on the island of Hoy, at the mouth of Weesdale Voo. 



Took a nest containing seven eggs of the garganey teal. 



Observed a great spotted woodpecker. 



Shot a great spotted woodpecker. 



Shot a common redstart in my garden. 



Shot a king drake out of a pair, at the mouth of Weesdale Voo. 

 — Robert Dunn; Helister, near Weesdale, Shetland Isles, May 15, 1848. 



Note on an Egg of the Blackbird (Turdus merula). — I have this year taken an egg 

 from a nest which had the black spots at the smaller end. — /. B. Ellman ; Battel, 

 June, 1848. 



Is the Sparrow (Fringilla domestica) more useful or injurious to the Farmer P — A 

 friend of mine the other day requested me to write to you, asking to be informed if 

 sparrows do more harm or good to agriculturists ? He is himself a farmer, and has 

 not decided whether he should kill the sparrows about his farm or not. — E. Peacock ; 

 Messinyham, Kir ton Lindsey, Lincolnshire, June, 1848. 



[I must leave this repeatedly-mooted question in the hands of my correspondents. 

 — E. N.~] 



Nesting of the Siskin (Fringilla spinus) near Durham — I noticed a pair or two of 

 siskins about our gardens and plantations all this spring (1848), and having observed 

 them later than usual I thought they might breed with us. About the 21st of April 

 I observed the male bird singing on the top of a tall spruce fir. I had a great desire 

 to find the nest, and searched diligently after it for several days, but without success. 

 At length, perceiving that the male invariably went towards some spruce firs in 



33 



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') 



„ 28. 



1844, 



Feb. 20. 



33 



May 20. 



1845, 



June. 



33 



Oct. 14. 



33 



„ 16. 



1846, 



March. 



31 



Apr. 20. 



