Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/544

468 Ornithological Notes from Shetland.—On Nov. 8th I obtained a female Bullfinch (Pyrrhula europæa) in the garden here. This is, as far as I know, only the second authentic record of the bird in Shetland; for, though Messrs. Evans and Buckley mention a newspaper report of a bird having been shot in Unst about the beginning of February, 1893, no name is given as their authority. On July 12th I saw three Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus hyperboreus), and one nest of four eggs. I was informed of the existence of three other nests with eggs in a neighbouring island, but had no opportunity of visiting the locality. The Great Skuas have this season started two new colonies in Unst. A Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) was seen here by my wife and myself on Sept. 29th; we watched it for two days, after which it disappeared. This is the only Whitethroat I have seen during my four years' residence here. There were more Redwings (Turdus iliacus) this autumn than I have ever seen before. Fieldfares (T. pilaris) were not so plentiful as usual. Of the Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), I got two nests this summer; the birds have been fairly plentiful. A Water-Rail (Rallus aquaticus)—a male—was brought to me by a boy on the 9th of this month; he caught it in a drain close by the road. This bird is not very common here. Saw an Iceland Gull (Larus leucopterus) on Balta Island, Nov. 15th.

We have had most horrible weather since August—nothing but rain and gales, mostly from the S. and S.E. November half through, and corn in some places not yet in; some of it was only cut last week. Potatoes practically a failure this year also. I am going to experiment with trees again; the ones planted by my grandfather have been sadly neglected since his death twenty-two years ago, and, except in the large enclosure, are dying down, but I have got several hundred up this week, and am going to start planting to-morrow. There is no reason that I can see why trees should not grow, though of course they require care and attention. My mother planted a lot four years ago round her house, which occupies a most exposed situation, but they are all coming on well. It is curious that Frogs and Toads will not live here. I have tried them, but it seems no use; they just die off.— (Halligarth, Baltasound, Shetland, N.B.).

On the Songs of Birds.—Dr. A.G. Butler (ante, p. 247) remarks most truly that the songs of birds, when endeavoured to be represented in words, are usually quite unrecognisable. Verbal representations of birds' songs are usually given with much local colour, as in respect to a particular Thrush, who persisted day after day in shrieking out close to me, as I gathered the close-netted strawberries, "Greedy