190 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Jackdaw (C. monedula). — One seen at 11 a.m. on Feb. 3rd ; another 

 (perhaps same one) on April 1st, at same place, 



Raven (C. corax). — Young birds flying, April 22nd. 



Blackbird [Turdus merula). — Building at Halligarth, April 16th. 



Great Skua (Megalestris catarrhactes). — Arrived April 11th. 



Richardson's Skua ( Stereo rarius crepidatus). — Arrived April 13th. 



Puffin [Fratercula arctica). — Arrived April 18th. 



Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus). — One, April 28th. 



I would take this opportunity of warning egg-robbers that in 

 Shetland more elaborate precautions are being taken to limit their 

 depredations than ever before, and that, while true naturalists will 

 always be welcomed and helped as heretofore, mere collectors and 

 dealers will be at least "discouraged" in their nefarious trade. 



PISCES. 



It is somewhat difficult to get any information about the fishes 

 frequenting the coast, the local boats having almost entirely given up 

 line-fishing, or, indeed, any fishing but for Herrings in summer. 

 The trawlers have during the last two months reported to me the 

 following : — 



Halibut, Ling, Sole (Lemon), Whiting, Flounder, and Haddock, 

 plentiful. Cod, rather scarce ; Skate, plentiful ; Red and Grey Gur- 

 nard, very plentiful a few miles north-east from here ; Bergylt, a few ; 

 Bream (Sea), one brought to me April 10th. — T. Edmondston Saxby 

 (Baltasound). 



Early Migrants near Chester. — The arrival of the Whinchat 

 (Pratincola rubetra) on April 14th, and the Land-Rail (Crex pratensis) 

 on April 15th, are, I think, worth recording for this district, both 

 species being about a fortnight before their usual time. On April 

 28th I also saw, at close quarters, a Turtle-Dove (Turtur communis) in 

 a tree by the city walls. As a rule, this migrant arrives here with 

 unfailing regularity at the beginning of the second week in May. I 

 may mention here that this species will occasionally soar with motion- 

 less wings, like a Ring-Dove, returning to the same perching-place 

 from whence it started — a habit which seems to be little known, or at 

 any rate seldom noted. — S. G. Cummings (Chester). 



