Volume 9 - Electric Scotland

ZOOLOGICAL NOTES 121
in the Kirkcudbright Museum. This completes my notes of the
winter, so far as they contain anything of importance. ROBERT
SERVICE, Maxwelltown.
Blaek Redstart at Aberdeen. On the 20th of March last a male
specimen of the Black Redstart (Ruticilla titys) flew into, and was
caught in, a house in Aberdeen, and is now in my possession. This
is the first record for the species in Aberdeenshire, so far as I am
aware. GEO. SIM, Aberdeen.
Blackcap in Perthshire in December. I record what I
believe to be the unusual appearance of the Blackcap (Sylvia
atricapilla\ a female, during December last at the Manse of
Kinfauns. The bird has been with us four days now (the 2ist),
with other birds to be fed at our window. She is
coming regularly
very vigorous in fact, she drives off the other birds. We have the
Blackcap here occasionally in summer, but I never heard of an
instance of its occurrence so far north in winter. RODGER G.
DAVIDSON, Kinfauns.
Chiff-chaff in Barra. A specimen of the Chiff-chaff (Phylloscopus
rufus) was shot on the island of Barra, Outer Hebrides,
on the 1 8th of November 1899; and another example, which
accompanied it,
was secured two days afterwards, when at roost in a
whin. This species is new to the avifauna of the island. Mr. Eagle
Clarke has seen one of the specimens, which I have presented to
the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art, and he has kindly confirmed
my identification of the species. W. L. MACGILLIVRAY, Barra.
[The Chiff-chaff has hitherto been very doubtfully recorded for
the Outer Hebrides. EDS.]
Long-eared Owl in Barra. A fine example of the Long-eared
Owl (Asio otus) a bird new to the fauna of Barra visited us after
a strong S.W. wind on the 28th of October last, and was observed
in a willow plantation on the west side of the island. W. L.
MACGILLIVRAY, Barra.
[This species was only doubtfully included for the region in the
"Fauna of the Outer Hebrides," 1888; but it was recorded for
North Uist, where a specimen was obtained in January 1897, in the
"Annals," 1898, p. 50. EDS.]
lameness of Herons. For some winters past a Heron (Ardea
cinerea) has come regularly close to the house here, to where some
poultry are fed, often mixing with them, and taking scraps of meat,
etc., when thrown to him a short distance away. This winter he
has brought a second Heron with him, apparently a younger bird,
which is tame, as he usually comes to the food when thrown to
him without any fear. One day lately I noticed the old Heron
taking a siesta on the topmost lump of a temporary coal-heap.
They are rather omnivorous in their tastes, but have a distinct pre-