408 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



VI. Ornithological Notes. 1. Buteo lagopus (Rough-legged Buzzard) ; 



2. Tetrao urogallus (Capercailzie, female assuming male plumage) ; 



3. Saxicola oenanthe (Wheat-ear). Specimens were exhibited. By 

 John Alexander Smith, M.D. 



1. Buteo lagopus.— The rough-legged buzzard, a fine old 

 female. It was killed on the 17th April 1866, near Eachan 

 House, Peeblesshire. 



Head and neck yellowish white, with longitudinal streaks 

 of brown on middle of feathers. Back light chocolate brown. 



Base of tail white ; distal extremity dark brown, tipped 

 with lighter brown or whitish. 



Below, chin and breast yellowish white, with longitudinal 

 streaks and spots of dark brown. 



Broad band of dark brown across lower part of breast. 



Thighs yellowish # wbite, spotted with brown ; tarsi fea- 

 thered to the junction of the toes. 



Length from point of bill to extremity of tail, 23 inches ; 

 length of wing from flexure, 17 inches ; irides pale yellow. 



The prevalence of light colour in this specimen shows, I 

 am inclined to believe, the great age of the bird. 



It is one of our occasional visitors, and is generally seen 

 in the spring or autumn. 



2. Tetrao urogallus.— -The capercailzie, a female assuming 

 male 'plumage. 



The length of the bird from the point of bill to the ex- 

 tremity of tail, is 27J- inches, rather longer than usual for 

 the female, the tail being, like that of the male, large, long, 

 and rounded. The head, neck, and upper parts of body 

 are grey, the brown plumage being all tipped with grey ; 

 the back of reddish brown, with darker spots of brown ; and 

 the lower part of back brown, mixed with grey. Wing 

 coverts are dark brown, mottled with darker brown, as in the 

 male. Below, the broad brown bar across the breast of the 

 female, in this bird shows the feathers tipped with the bright 

 glossy green colours of the male. 



The tail feathers are long, and dark grey or nearly black, 

 as in the male, and the feathers are also slightly tipped with 



