216 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



varying numbers, reported to him from Unst, Yell, North 

 Mavine, Whalsay, Bressay, Tingwall, and several other 

 places. Mr. Thomas Henderson, jun., saw many in the 

 neighbourhood of Sumburgh Head, including a flock of forty 

 birds ; and he informs me that a number were taken on the 

 fishing boats at sea to the eastwards of the Shetlands. 



In Orkney many were observed near Kirkwall, and a 

 small flock visited the Island of Sanday ; but no dates are 

 afforded. The most remarkable circumstance in connection 

 with the occurrence of the Crossbills in this group of islands 

 relates to their appearance in numbers at the remote rocky 

 islet of Sule Skerry, which lies out in the Atlantic some 

 thirty-three miles west of Hoy. Here one was captured at 

 the lantern on the night of 28th June. More were seen after- 

 wards, forty-two being the largest number. They remained 

 on this almost desert island for about three weeks. Mr. 

 Moore, to whom I am indebted for this information, tells me 

 that he found several dead amid the Arctic Tern's quarters, 

 and he is of opinion that the Terns killed them for invading 

 the precincts of their territory. 



In the Outer Hebrides l Mr. Robert Clyne saw a small 

 party, containing some old males, near the Butt of Lewis on 

 28th June. At the outlying Flannan Islands Mr. Robert 

 Anderson writes me that a great many visited them late 

 in June and remained about five weeks on Eilean Mor. Mr. 

 Harvie-Brown received information that two were seen at 

 Lochmaddy in North Uist. 



On the mainland of Scotland, eight are recorded as visit- 

 ing a garden at Wick, where they sojourned for a fortnight. 

 On Qth July a flock of about twenty alighted on a steamer 

 off Bervie, on the Kincardineshire coast, and remained on 

 board for several hours. Others are recorded for Fraser- 

 burgh and Hawick. 



Specimens in " green " plumage i.e. females and young 

 naturally predominated, but a fair proportion of old red 

 males are mentioned as being present at localities where they 

 occurred in any numbers. 



In England they are recorded in varying numbers, from 



1 [Mr. Wm. Macgillivray, of Eoligary, Barra, reports the occurrence of flocks 

 of 10, 20, and 30 Crossbills in that island since the end of June. J. A. H. B.] 



