Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/612

578 2.39 a.m., May 11th, 1893, Edinburgh; 2.16 a.m., May 24th, 1893, Edinburgh, 1.59 a.m., June 3rd, 1893, East Lothian; 1.45 a.m., June 2nd, 1894, East Lothian.

This last entry records the time at which the birds begin their uninterrupted singing. From ten to twelve o'clock I had put up Larks frequently, but always in silence. At 12.16 midnight I heard the first Lark singing, not continuously from one spot, but giving snatches of his song as he flew; this method of song, resembling, however, the calling of the flocks in winter flight rather than real singing, continued for some time, and silence again ensued. The first bird to call, disturbed from my feet, rose at 12.38, and gave several notes as it mounted, but the real continued music of the Larks, as a whole, did not begin till 1.45 a.m.

Crow, Corvus corone.—2.48 a.m., June 15th, 1893, Fife. This refers to a bird calling without being disturbed by my presence. Such an explanation is necessary, as the Crow, like a number of other species, will sometimes call when disturbed by a midnight wanderer in its haunts.

Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus.—Earliest, 2.5 a.m., May 23rd, 1895, Lomond Hills, Fife.— (46, Cumberland Street, Edinburgh).

Notes from Scarborough.—The season so far, owing probably to the unusually mild weather, has been very unproductive in ornithological occurrences of sufficient interest to be worthy of note. A few Curlew Sandpipers were obtained on the coast during August; all that I saw were young birds. Early in September a Green Sandpiper was shot at Folkton, near Scarborough, and brought to me. It was one of a pair, the other escaping. On Nov. 2nd I had brought in a beautiful adult Spotted Crake, alive and uninjured. It had flown into some buildings, and was there captured by the workmen. On the same date the first Little Auk I have a note of for this season was taken at Filey. On Nov. 3rd a nice Albino Sparrow, with pink eyes and flesh-coloured legs and beak, was brought in from Yedmundale, near Scarborough. During the early part of the month a good many Waxwings have been about, and I know of seven which have been obtained mostly within a few miles of the town. A Peregrine Falcon has also been procured, and on the 15th I had an adult female Longtailed Duck brought in. This bird is seldom obtained in our district, and is only the second record I have of its occurrence.— (44, Huntriss Row, Scarborough).

The Dictionary of British Bird-Song.—With reference to Mr. Hett's announcement of his Dictionary of Call-notes of British Birds, it may be of interest to readers of 'The Zoologist' to know that there will apparently be two "dictionaries," covering practically the same ground, published at about the same time. Ever since the publication of 'The