8 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



2nd October another Yellow-browed Warbler appeared ; we 

 found it hopping about among the oat stocks in one of the 

 gardens ; a good many Bramblings had come, and we saw 

 the last of the Siskins. A Merganser (M. serrator] and a 

 Jack-snipe (G. gallinuld] were also seen. 



On 4th October a flock of 38 Grey Geese passed over 

 the island flying up the Firth, and next day we saw a 

 Peregrine (F. peregrinus), and this fine falcon was also seen 

 on the loth. The /th was the last day on which we saw 

 the Common Wheatear (S. cenanthe), and on the 8th some 

 Tree -sparrows (P. inontanus] appeared ; the new-comers 

 were in very beautiful plumage, decidedly brighter than 

 those that we had seen throughout our stay. Razorbills 

 (A. tordd] passed in flocks going south, and some southward 

 movement was seen almost every day after this till we left. 



We saw a Sandwich Tern (S. cantiacd) on the Qth 

 October, and a Purple Sandpiper (T. striata] came to the 

 lantern that night ; this species occurred in small numbers 

 off and on throughout our stay, but this was the only time 

 it came to the light. 



On roth October the wind had fallen considerably, 

 being now light off the south. Enormous flocks of Red- 

 wings kept coming in all day, the island was swarming with 

 them, and the air seemed full of them too. One heard 

 their note everywhere and put the birds up from behind 

 every rock and tuft of grass. When we first went out in 

 the morning we saw only a few Bramblings, but flock after 

 flock came in, till by mid-day there were large numbers in 

 every part of the island, and by afternoon the flocks were 

 huge ; there must have been thousands of these birds present. 



Next day Redwings and Bramblings were still numerous, 

 and a Wigeon (M. penelope] was swimming in one of the 

 small pools. A Teal (A. crecca) on the I2th finishes the 

 list of interesting items for the second fortnight. 



The third fortnight of our visit began with high southerly 

 and westerly winds and continued thus, with little inter- 

 mission, till 23rd October, after which we had light northerly 

 winds. On the i 3th October a Tree Pipit and two Shore- 

 larks (O. alpestris) were our chief records. We found the 

 Shore-larks pretty shy, and very much given to rising and 



