178 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



wings about five feet, but the exact measurement has not 

 been given/' — John d Groat Journal. 



This specimen is in the possession of Mr Beid, bookseller, 

 Kirkwall, and I am indebted to Mr H. Osborne, Wick, for 

 the account of its capture. I have also been favoured with 

 a letter from Mr E. I. Shearer, Ulbster, about this capture 

 of the crane. He considers they were not birds escaped 

 from confinement, the possibility of which I had suggested 

 to him ; as they were very wild and shy of approach, and 

 as the pair were seen together at the first, he therefore 

 believes it is an addition to our British birds, being the 

 first time it has been noticed in our Island. 



2. Syrrhaptes paradoxus — the Sand-Grouse or Pallas' Sand- 

 Grouse. In June last several flocks of these very rare birds 

 were observed in different parts, especially of the east of 

 Scotland. 



I have had an opportunity of examining several specimens, 

 both of males and females. 



A male bird was shot near Montrose, where a small flock 

 was observed, and several specimens, I believe, were captured. 



A flock was also noticed near Berwick, and two males and 

 two females were shot on the 12th of June 1863. These 

 birds were in fine plumage, and by the kindness of Mr 

 Sanderson, George Street, were carefully examined by me. 

 The black bands of the male are represented by a rich 

 brown in the female, and the central projecting tail feathers 

 were much longer in the males, which were not smaller 

 than the females. Their stomachs contained white turnip 

 seed. 



In the neighbourhood of SeaclifT, East Lothian, a male 

 bird was shot on the 17th of June ; and a male bird 

 was also killed at Leithhead, near Kirknewton, on the 

 same day ; its stomach contained seeds of the brown bent 

 grass. A young bird was taken alive on Paisley Moss in 

 July 1863. It was the only one observed there, and allowed 

 itself to be 'captured by the hand. The bird was in the pos- 

 session of Mr Small, bird-stufTer, George Street here, and I 

 saw it run nimbly about the cage in which it was confined. 



