NOTES AND QUERIES. 189 



Brown a few years ago. The name "Linnet" is invariably bestowed 

 on the Twite by Shetlanders. 



Great Northern Diver (Colymbus glacialis). — This species has been 

 very plentiful round the coast during autumn and winter. A few are 

 still to be seen (April 30th, 1905). It has, I regret to say, fallen to my 

 unhappy lot to have had many opportunities of examining recently 

 killed specimens. In my experience the bill, usually described as 

 " horn-colour," has not been so. I have always found it more or less 

 bluish wbite, except towards tbe end of the upper mandible, which is 

 horn-colour. The bluish white rapidly changes (within a few hours) 

 to reddish purple, and then, after a day or two, to dull horn-colour. 

 The inside of the tarsi and toes, and also the middle portion of the 

 webs, are also bluish white, very similar to those of the Long-tailed 

 Duck ; this white soon changes to brownish black. With regard to 

 this bird sitting upright on land, and also as to its mode of progression 

 on land, it certainly does assume an erect attitude, occasionally at least. 

 On Oct. 14th I surprised one sitting a few yards from the sea on some 

 smooth ground ; it rose on " tip-toe," and with head erect, bill in the 

 air, and moving feet and outstretched wings, very rapidly reached 

 the sea long before I even arrived at the spot where it had been. It 

 reminded me somewhat of an excited old gander as it moved over the 

 ground. 



Whooper-Swan [Cygnus musicus). — Heard passing overhead on 

 Nov. 8th, at 8 a.m. Seen going north, March 10th. One seen 

 April 4th. 



Woodcock (Scolopax rusticala). — A few seen during December. 



Snowy Owl (Nyctea scancliaca). — One seen on Oct. 29th, and one 

 April 4th. 



Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). — A wounded one, with wing 

 broken, brought to me alive on Nov. 21st. I had to chloroform it to 

 disengage its claws from the basket in which it came, and also for my 

 own protection while I repaired the wing. It is still alive and very 

 tame, eats mice, birds, scraps of meat, and fresh fish. 



Carrion-Crow (Corvus corone). — Saw five, along with two Hooded 

 Crows, close to the roadside near Haroldswick at 2 p.m. on Feb. 25th. 

 These are the first I have seen in Shetland. N.B. — It may be suggested 

 that these were young Rooks, but this was not so. I was within a few 

 yards of them, and was able to see them perfectly, and to describe to 

 my little daughter the chief differences between the appearance of 

 Rooks and Carrion-Crows. 



Rook (C. fnigilegus) . — Arrived March 4th. A few still about. 



