Quilon) 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 

AVES. 
Variety of Great Titmouse.—An interesting and beautiful variety 
of Parus major was procured in the neighbourhood of Tetbury on 
Feb. 6th last, and has been mounted by Mr. Jefferies of that town, 
at whose house I have been able to examine the specimen. A striking 
feature about this bird is that where yellow occurs in the typical 
plumage the coloration is almost normal, although the other mark- 
ings are but faintly indicated. For example, in the ordinary bird the 
dark olive-green mantle contrasts distinctly with the much lighter 
yellow of the breast, but in the variety under notice the back (a faint 
yellowish green) is paler if anything than the under parts, which 
have retained their normal sulphur-yellow colour. The tail and 
wings are almost white, but there is a greyish tint on the former and 
on the lesser wing-coverts. The normal bluish black of the head 
and the streak down the centre of the breast are replaced by a delicate 
mouse-grey. Does the retention of vellow in this bird’s plumage 
indicate that in P. major this colour is due to the structure of the 
feathers and not to a pigment? A Little Owl (Athene noctua) has 
also been sent to Mr. Jefferies. This bird seemingly met with a very 
peculiar ending, for it was found dead near Fairford on Feb. 20th, in 
the spout of a shepherd’s water-cart. The bird had probably entered 
the narrow mouth of the spout during the night, and had been 
unable to escape.—ConLinawoop InGram (Long Newnton, Tetbury, 
Gloucestershire). 
Glossy Ibis in Aberdeenshire.—During the harvest-time of 1907 
an immature example of this species (Plegadis falcinellus) was shot in 
the mill-pond at Watermill, Fraserburgh, by Mr. Adam Brown. It is 
now in the possession of Dr. Galloway, Aberdeen. Since 1844 this is 
the fourth recorded occurrence of the species within our county.— 
GEORGE Sim (52, Castle Street. Aberdeen). 
Ptarmigan reported near Trondhjem, Norway.—Probably several 
correspondents will call attention to what appears to be an obvious 
case of mistaken identity in the Rev. W. Serle’s article on “ Birds of 
Zool. 4th ser. voi. XII., March, 1908. K 
