Ornitliological Notes. 393 
on dissection, some of the eggs were found considerably 
enlarged. No male was seen in the neighbourhood. The 
bird is an occasional straggler in Britain. Only a few 
instances of its occurrence in Scotland have been recorded. 
This bird has the immature plumage of the young bird. 
Upper parts light brown ; some of the feathers a little 
darker in the centre ; wings and tail darker brown, feathers 
all edged with grey or whitish, especially outer edges of 
wing feathers ; eyelids whitish. Below, dirty white. Bill 
rounded above ; upper mandible dark brown, lower mandible 
lighter and yellow at base. Feet yellowish brown. Claws 
brown. Wing — first primary very short and pointed ; second 
primary longest in wing, and rest diminish gradually in 
length. 
The following are the measurements of this young speci- 
men, as compared with that of the adult female : — 
Young Bird. Adult Female. 
Length from point of bill to extremity of tail, 8-[i 7| 
Length from tip to tip of extended wings, 14f 14f 
Length of wing from flexure, . . 4|- 4|- 
Length of bill along upper mandible, . f | 
Length of tarsus, ... . If 11 
Length of middle or third toe, . . If 1| 
Length of claw of third toe, ... ^ 
This young bird was carefully examined by Sir William 
Jardine, Bart., and he states, " It is a rose-coloured pastor ; 
and I have one in nearly the same state, but with some 
black feathers appearing." 
(3.) There was sent for exhibition an almost pure white 
finch, a so-called Japanese sparrow, recently brought to this 
country; — the bird closely resembled the well-known "Java 
sparrow," of which, indeed, the specimen seemed merely to 
be a white or perhaps albino variety. A nearly pure white 
common sparrow — the primaries and tail feathers alone re- 
taining the usual colour ; and a specimen of the male black- 
bird, Turdus merula, the greater part of the head and throat 
being pure white. Both these birds were recently shot in the 
neighbourhood of Edinburgh. 
VOL. 111. 
