54 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



between Qth and igth October 1905, about the same time as Mr. 

 Eagle Clarke obtained specimens in Fair Isle. It was a single bird, 

 and I observed no others. 



GREATER REDPOLL (Acanthis rostratd). Several specimens 

 obtained from a flock during October and November 1907. Some 

 of these birds were shot below high-water line on the shore. 



NORTHERN BULLFINCH (Pyrrhida pyrrhula). I saw a male in 

 splendid plumage in November 1905. 



TENGMALIN'S OWL (Nyctala tengmalmi). On 8th January 1908, 

 a female, apparently injured, was captured on a stone wall and for- 

 warded to me. Its stomach contained the remains of a sparrow. 



Some of the other birds which came under my notice in 1907 

 were, a Great Grey Shrike on 7th October ; Wood Pigeon on 20th 

 October and 4th November ; Turtle Doves (two) on 2ist October ; 

 and Great Snipe on 6th October. ERICK HAMILTON, Liverpool. 



Some further Remarks on the Visitation of Crossbills. 



During a visit to Fair Isle last autumn, I gathered the following 

 additional information relating to the summer visits of Crossbills 

 (Loxia curvirostra) to the island. This I chiefly obtained from my 

 bird-watcher there, Stewart Stout. The birds were seen in the 

 greatest abundance on loth July when they were in large flocks. 

 These flocks, however, appear to have at once broken up, for after 

 this date, though plentiful, the visitors were in scattered parties, and 

 were abundant down to 26th August. Later they became gradually 

 scarcer ; in September only two or three were seen, and the last 

 representative of the hundreds once present on the island was an 

 immature male, which was seen on 2nd October, feeding on the head 

 of a thistle. During their sojourn they frequented all parts of the 

 island : the faces of the great cliffs, the cultivated land, the grassy 

 slopes, and the high bleak, heathery ground. On the latter they fed 

 on the unripe fruit of the crowberry ; elsewhere on seeds of grasses 

 and other plants, and on the heads of thistles. Very many of these 

 visitors, however, perished, for numerous dead or dying birds were 

 found in the plots of potatoes. 



At the Flannan Islands the last of the invaders was observed 

 on September 22nd. 



Some surprise has been expressed that comparatively few 

 birds were recorded for the mainland of Scotland. It may be 

 pointed out, however, that there are obvious reasons why this 

 should be the case. Thus, almost immediately on their arrival from 

 the north, most of the visitors would find themselves in a land 

 entirely congenial to their requirements, namely, one abounding 

 in extensive pine woods. Here they would fail to attract notice, for 

 these same Highland forests are the home of great numbers of 

 native Crossbills. 



