462 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Tree-Sparrow (Passer montanus). — For several years I have believed 

 that the Tree- Sparrow has nested here, having seen it under circum- 

 stances which allowed of little doubt that such was the case. At last 

 my watching has led to a satisfactory result, for on June 13th I found 

 a nest with five eggs. The nest was built into a hole in the south wall 

 of the family burial-ground, which adjoins the garden at Halligarth ; 

 it was composed externally of grass and some rootlets, and was lined 

 with feathers of gulls, hens, crows, &c, and a little black horsehair. 

 It was altogether a more tidy, or rather less untidy, structure than the 

 nest of the House- Sparrow. I cannot claim the credit of being the 

 first observer to report the occurrence of the Tree- Sparrow in Shetland 

 during the breeding season, though I do not think the nest or eggs 

 have been found and identified before. 



Great Northern Diver (Colymbus glacialis). — A fine specimen (a 

 male) was brought to me alive on July 10th. A fisher-lad had caught 

 it sitting on a rock at the mouth of the harbour of Baltasound ; it 

 seemed in a very exhausted condition. The lad said the bird was " sit- 

 ting on its stomach," and tried to scramble to the sea, shuffling along 

 with its breast close to the ground. I kept the bird for some time, but 

 never once saw it assume an erect attitude. 



Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra). — Four seen on July 19th. Many 

 others seen from Oct. 5th to the end of that month. 



Wryneck (lynx torquilla). — One (a male) caught alive at Harolds- 

 wick on Sept. 2nd, and brought to me. The bird was in fine plumage, 

 and in good condition, though, when I opened the stomach, it was 

 empty. The bird weighed 362 grains. Though several captures and 

 occurrences have been reported for Shetland, this is the first Wryneck 

 I have seen since August, 1884, when my brother shot one in front of 

 this house. 



Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major). — One shot Sept. 

 17th, and another caught alive same day ; both at west side of this 

 island. 



Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica). — One shot Sept. 21st. 



Great Grey Shrike (Lanins excubitor). — On Oct. 15th my mother 

 called me to see what she thought was a Great Grey Shrike, which 

 was devouring a Bobin which it had hung up on a black-currant bush. 

 I arrived in time to catch a glimpse of the bird, and to see the remains 

 of its feast. The bird flew into the shrubbery at Halligarth. On Oct. 

 19th and 20th I saw presumably the same bird in and about the 

 shrubbery ; there was no doubt as to its identity. I fired at it on 

 the latter date, but the killing power of my walking-stick gun was not 



