468 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Ornithological Notes from Shetland. — On Nov. 8th I obtained a 

 female Bullfinch (Pyrrhula europcea) in the garden here. This is, as 

 far as I know, only the second authentic record of the bird in Shet- 

 land ; for, though Messrs. Evans and Buckley mention a newspaper 

 report of a bird having been shot in Unst about the beginning of 

 February, 1893, no name is given as their authority. On July 12th I 

 saw three Bed-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus hyperboreus), and one 

 nest of four eggs. I was informed of the existence of three other 

 nests with eggs in a neighbouring island, but had no opportunity of 

 visiting the locality. The Great Skuas have this season started two 

 new colonies in Unst. A Lesser Whitethroat [Sylvia curruca) was seen 

 here by my wife and myself on Sept. 29th ; we watched it for two days, 

 after which it disappeared. This is the only Whitethroat I have seen 

 during my four years' residence here. There were more Bedwings 

 (Turdus iliacus) this autumn than I have ever seen before. Fieldfares 

 (T. ]rilaris) were not so plentiful as usual. Of the Bed-breasted Mer- 

 ganser (Mergus serrator), I got two nests this summer ; the birds 

 have been fairly plentiful. A Water-Bail (Eallus aquaticm) — a male — 

 was brought to me by a boy on the 9th of this month ; he caught it in 

 a drain close by the road. This bird is not very common here. Saw 

 an Iceland Gull (Larus leucopterus) on Balta Island, Nov. 15th). 



We have had most horrible weather since August — nothing but 

 rain and gales, mostly from the S. and S.E. November half througb, 

 and corn in some places not yet in ; some of it was only cut last week. 

 Potatoes practically a failure this year also. I am going to experiment 

 with trees again ; the ones planted by my grandfather have been sadly 

 neglected since his death twenty-two years ago, and, except in the 

 large enclosure, are dying down, but I have got several hundred up this 

 week, and am going to start planting to-morrow. There is no reason 

 that I can see why trees should not grow, though of course they 

 require care and attention. My mother planted a lot four years ago 

 round her house, which occupies a most exposed situation, but they 

 are all coming on well. It is curious that Frogs and Toads will not 

 live here. I have tried them, but it seems no use ; they just die off. — 

 T. Edmondston Saxby (Halligarth, Baltasound, Shetland, N.B.). 



On the Songs of Birds. — Dr. A. G. Butler (ante, p. 247) remarks 

 most truly that the songs of birds, when endeavoured to be repre- 

 sented in words, are usually quite unrecognisable. Verbal representa- 

 tions of birds' songs are usually given with much local colour, as in 

 respect to a particular Thrush, who persisted day after day in shrieking 

 out close to me, as I gathered the close-netted strawberries, " Greedy 



