RECENT VISITATION OF THE LITTLE AUK TO SCOTLAND 99 



the spell was rudely broken by a gale of great severity. On 

 the East Coast of Scotland, north of the Firth of Forth, the 

 wind blew with great strength from the north and north-east, 

 while to the southward it was blowing equally hard from the 

 west and south-west. The centre of the cyclone passed a little 

 to the north of Edinburgh on its way to Scandinavia, which 

 explains the difference in the direction of the winds in the 

 areas north and south of that city. 



As the result of this initial storm, indeed on the very 

 day on which it prevailed, a Little Auk was picked up at 

 East Linton, a village a few miles inland from Dunbar. On 

 the day following numbers were observed in the Orkney Isles. 

 We have here, it is thought, some evidence that this species 

 may have pelagic winter quarters, perhaps resorted to by 

 small numbers, in the North Sea. If not, these birds could 

 hardly have occurred on our shores while the gale was 

 actually in progress. Many of us, no doubt, remember that 

 the late Mr. Robert Gray long ago held the opinion that such 

 was the case, and the above mentioned facts seem to sub- 

 stantiate in a remarkable manner the correctness of that most 

 excellent ornithologist's views on this subject. 



The weather remained in a more or less unsettled condi- 

 tion during the remainder of the month, and on the 3Oth 

 there was a strong gale from the northwards experienced in 

 the north of Scotland, and the wind was still strong from that 

 quarter on the last day of the year. The weather-conditions 

 during this period resulted in some small disasters to the 

 Little Auks, which will be found duly indicated in the 

 schedule of occurrences which forms the concluding portion 

 of this communication. This tabulation has been arranged 

 chronologically, and may be consulted with advantage in 

 connection with the above and the following observations of 

 a similar nature. 



On the 6th JANUARY the weather again became change- 

 able and unsettled in Scotland, with strong gales from the 

 N. and N.-N.E. On the 7th the wind was northerly and 

 strong to a gale in force. This second, but short, period of 

 storm resulted in considerable disaster to this little bird along 

 the entire east coast of Scotland, and it was just afterwards 

 that the greatest numbers were observed to come ashore dead 



