jo ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



their numbers increased steadily till a very large flock was 

 present. There were not so many waders this year as on 

 our two preceding visits, and we saw fewer Arctic Skuas 

 (S. crepidatus] harassing the Kittiwakes. 



The frequent occurrence of Eastern species was very 

 marked this year on the Isle of May, while many of our 

 common species were present in very small numbers ; for 

 instance, we saw quite as many Yellow-browed Warblers as 

 we did Willow- Warblers. The Eastern Pied Chat is an East- 

 European, North-east African, and West and Central Asiatic 

 species, the Yellow-browed Warbler has not been found 

 breeding west of the Urals, the Red-breasted Flycatcher 

 inhabits Central and Southern Europe, while the Scarlet 

 Grosbeak and Little Bunting are North-east European and 

 Asiatic species ; and yet all these birds occurred on this 

 small island so far to the west of their breeding-grounds ; 

 in the case of the Yellow-browed Warbler we saw at least 

 ten different birds, and among them were females, all those 

 hitherto recorded from the Isle of May being males. 



With the exception of the Thrush, Redwing, Brambling, 

 and Swallow, we saw no large number of any one kind of 

 bird ; Siskins were more plentiful than usual, but not in 

 great quantities, and many birds, notably the commoner 

 Warblers, were fewer in number than in other years. 

 Common Whitethroats and Willow-Warblers were very scarce, 

 Sedge- Warblers were conspicuous by their absence, and, to 

 jump to another family, we saw no Snow Buntings at all. 



It is once more our pleasant duty to thank the Com- 

 missioners of Northern Lights very heartily for having again 

 accorded us the privilege of watching the autumn migration 

 from this favourable station ; to thank Mr. and Mrs. Mac- 

 eachern, and Mr. and Miss Maccuish for their kindness and 

 help while we were on the island, and also Mr. and Mrs. 

 Ross and all our other kind friends for the help they gave 

 us in allowing us to hunt their gardens and in many other 

 ways. We greatly enjoyed our stay on the island, which 

 was more successful ornithologically than either of our 

 former visits. Special thanks are due to Mr. Eagle Clarke 

 for his kindness in assisting us with the identification of our 

 Chat, and for all the trouble he has taken to help us. 



