244 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



IV. Two Otters, Lutra vulgaris, shot near Edinburgh, were exhibited, &c. 



By John Alexander Smith, M.D. 



Two full-grown otters, male and female, were sent for 

 exhibition, at Dr Smith's request, by Mr James Carfrae, 

 Princes Street. They were killed at one shot by a boy, 

 near Coltbridge, on the Water of Leith, in the beginning 

 of December, the severe weather having forced them to 

 descend so far down the stream, to the immediate vicinity 

 of Edinburgh. 



A pure white specimen of the Alpine hare, Lepus vari- 

 abilis, recently shot in Lanarkshire, was also exhibited. 



The late severe weather had been very fatal to the common 

 squirrels, Sciurus vulgaris, bringing them within the reach 

 of the shooter ; and at present the shops of the bird-stuffers 

 were filled with them, in very unusual numbers. 



V. Ornithological Notes. (Specimens exhibited.) By John Alexander 



Smith, M.D. 



(1.) Strix Tengmalmi. (Tern.) ; Noctua Tengmalmi. 

 (Selby.) Tengmalm's Night-Owl. — The specimen exhibited, 

 apparently a female, from its size, which is larger than the 

 male, now measures nearly a foot in length from point of 

 yellowish beak to tail ; length of wing from flexure is seven 

 inches. It has a soft, downy appearance, and is of a choco- 

 late-brown colour above, spotted with white ; below, white, 

 spotted with yellowish-brown ; legs and toes closely covered 

 with feathers, except on the under surface of the latter ; 

 facial disk very distinct, nearly perfect, with black ring 

 round eyes, and black spot on inner side ; the edges of the 

 disk are prettily mottled with white spots on the brown 

 feathers, and the upper part of face or head is also spotted 

 over. 



It is a bird of northern Europe, and is only a rare, occa- 

 sional visitor in Britain. It is believed to have been con- 

 founded with the Strix passerina of ornithologists, but is 

 distinguished by its facial disk being more distinct, its softer 

 and more bulky plumage, and also by the more abundant 



