THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLE 71 



the island, haunting the margins of ditches. A few again 

 appeared late in September, and throughout October it was 

 frequent and occasionally fairly numerous. The last was 

 observed on 2oth November. Since this species is probably 

 a bird of double passage in Fair Isle, it seems strange that 

 in Shetland it is only known as a rare casual visitor : one 

 which has been observed on four occasions, according to 

 recorded information. 



LITTLE BUNTING, Emberiza pusilla. An adult female was 

 shot on 3rd October. It was fortunately detected among a 

 vast number of Twites which were seeking shelter and food 

 in the stubbles. On 2nd October 1905 one was observed 

 close to where this specimen was obtained, as already re- 

 corded in the pages of the " Annals." There are only three 

 records of the occurrence of this bird in Scotland, all of 

 them for the northern isles ; and it has been equally rare in 

 its visits, so far as we know of them, to England. 



105. YELLOW BUNTING, Emberiza dtrinella. One example only 



came under notice in spring ; but in autumn it was occasion- 

 ally numerous, and a few remained the winter. Saxby saw 

 this bird several times in Unst, and Mr. T. Henderson, jun., 

 tells us that it occurs in Dunrossness on migration ; other- 

 wise there is little information regarding this bird for Shet- 

 land. 



1 06. ORTOLAN BUNTING, Emberiza hortulana. This species is only 



to be regarded as an occasional visitor to Fair Isle during the 

 seasons of passage. Quite a number appeared on the island 

 during the last days of May, and a bird of the year was captured 

 on 1 8th September. There is only one previous record, I 

 believe, of the occurrence of the Ortolan Bunting in Shet- 

 land, namely, that of one adult male at Spiggie, Dunrossness, 

 on 3oth April 1898. It has rarely been recorded for Scot- 

 land, namely, near Aberdeen in 1863, and at the Isle of May 

 in 1888. 



LAPLAND BUNTING, Calcarius lapponicus. The first arrivals 

 were observed on 8th September, or one day later than last 

 year. They were not so numerous as in 1905, but were 

 nevertheless seen almost daily after the date named. This 

 bird does not appear to winter in the island ; but the return 

 movement north was witnessed in May, when a few arrived 

 and were duly chronicled. 



107. WOODLARK, Alanda arborea. A few appeared during the 



early days of November, and remained on the island until 

 the middle of December. The occurrence of this species at 

 this remote northern station is somewhat remarkable, and it 



