Ornithological Notes. 
347 
ing every movement. Not a moment was to be lost, and 
the three, ranged in line, left their hiding-place and ad- 
vanced rapidly on the nest. If the female still remains, 
her chance of eiicape is a poor one, for she is now within 
range of six barrels 1 She sits so close, however, that doubts 
are beginning to arise, when up she springs and dashes 
rapidly off, brushing the heather in her flight. She has not 
flown far when a single shot is fired, and poor falco drops 
among the heath with a broken wing. The male escaped 
on this occasion and was not seen again, although diligent 
search was made for some days afterwards. The nest con- 
tained four eggs, and was situated where one would rather 
expect to find the nest of the red grouse. 
Dr J. A. Smith said, naturalists were indebted to Mr 
Shearer and Mr Osborne for their valuable list, with its 
accompanying details, of the birds of Caithness. He had 
requested Mr Osborne to add some notes on the nesting of 
the birds, and was sure the Society would agree with him 
in the great interest of these communications ; he only 
wished a similar careful list of the appearance and nesting 
of the birds, could be got from all the counties of Scotland. 
The capture of the ivory gull, referred to by Mr Shearer as 
new (page 341), had been brought under the notice of the 
Society by Sir W. Jardine (see Proc, vol. i. p. 4 ; and vol. ii. 
p. 57). The specimen was described by him as being the 
Pagopliila hrachytarsus (HalboU), and the first time it had 
been observed as occurring in this country, 
IV. Oriiitliological Notes. — Larus glaucus (Glaucous gull), Merguliis 
alle, (Little Auk), &c. (specimens exhibited). By J. A. Smith, M,D. 
A fine specimen of the Larus glaucus, the great white- 
winged or glaucous gull, was sent for exhibition by Mr 
Edward Hargitt. It is a bird of this year, and was shot on 
Holy Island, near Berwick, in the third week of November. 
Dr Smith also exhibited a specimen of the Little Auk, re- 
cently shot in the Firth of Forth. This bird is an occa- 
sional winter visitor, generally after severe storms. It occurs 
abundantly in the Arctic regions ; and he might mention in 
regard to it, that the late Professor Jameson used to exhibit 
