On the Lanius Excubitor. 355 
The unusual occurrence of the Death's-head Moth at 
these different and distant places is curious, and forms an 
addition to the various instances recorded of its appearance, 
during last autumn, in different parts of Great Britain. 
(2.) Dr J. A. Smith exhibited a fine specimen of a Lanius Excubitor, 
the Great Grey Shrike, which was shot in the end of January hy 
a heeper of Sir H. J. Seton Stuart, Bart., at Allanton, near 
Motherwell, Lanarkshire. 
Dr Smith was indebted to Messrs John Dickson and Son, 
Princes Street, the well-known gunmakers, for being able to 
exhibit the bird. It was the sixth or seventh specimen of 
tliis rare bird which had been observed this winter session, 
probably due to the prevalence of severe gales, bringing the 
birds from the continent of Europe. 
Dr John Duns stated that, while passing through the 
Meadows here, on the 15th of February, he was attracted, 
near the Merchant Maiden Hospital, by the unusual cry of a 
bird. He saw the bird close to him, and, looking carefully 
among the trees, discovered it to be a Great Grey Shrike, 
thus adding another instance of its occurrence in this neigh- 
bourhood. 
(3.) Dr J. A. Smith exhibited a large specimen of the Cyclopterus 
lumpus {the Lumpsucher). 
A female, which is larger than the male, the Hush, or 
Hen-paidle of our fishermen, of unusual size for the Firth of 
Forth. It measured 19 inches in length and 11 J inches in 
its greatest depth, and weighed nearly ten. lbs. avoirdupois, 
being full of spawn. It was taken by a small haddock line, 
a little to the east of Tnchkeith, on the 24th of January ; and 
was kindly sent to Dr Smith from Mr Muirhead, Queen 
Street, and has now been preserved for our important 
Museum of Science and Art. 
DrParnell, in his "Fishes of the Forth," says:— "This 
fish seldom takes a bait, and is generally taken in the salmon 
nets about the month of June, and entirely disappears after 
the month of August." 
