THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLE 73 



waters of the North Sea by the fierce gales which prevailed 

 just prior to its appearance. 



There are two previous records of the occurrence of 

 Creepers in Shetland, namely, one in Unst in 1859, and a 

 male at Bressay on i2th October 1882. 



A knowledge of racial forms is of the greatest possible 

 service to those interested in bird migration, for it is of the 

 utmost importance to know whence our bird visitors have 

 come. This information is to be found in Dr. Hartert's 

 " Die Vogel der palaarktischen Fauna," a most useful book 

 now in the course of publication. It is to be hoped that 

 the author will give us an English version, some day, for 

 the benefit of those who do not read German. 



112. RED-BACKED SHRIKE, Lanius colhirio. Several appeared on 



passage late in May and in early June. One of these was 

 observed feeding on a Rock Pipit (Anthiis obscurus] which 

 it had just captured. A short time afterwards an examina- 

 tion of the victim's remains revealed the fact that not a 

 scrap of flesh remained upon its bones. It has not, to our 

 knowledge, been detected in autumn. The only Shetland 

 records are those of Saxby, who saw one in October 

 1866, and a female accompanied by three young birds in 

 June 1870. 



COMMON WHITETHROAT, Sylvia cinerea. Fairly frequent on 

 passage in May and early June and again in September, but 

 only observed in small numbers. In September 1905 a 

 single bird only came under notice. It appears to have 

 been observed on a few occasions only in the more northern 

 isles, i.e., in the Shetland group proper. 



113. LESSER WHITETHROAT, Sylvia curruca. During the spring 



and autumn migratory movements of 1906, this bird, 

 hitherto regarded as a somewhat uncommon visitor to 

 Scotland, occurred frequently, and occasionally in some 

 abundance. It was observed on three dates in May, when 

 it was not uncommon ; and one remained on the island until 

 1 8th June, and was heard in full song. In September Mr. 

 Kinnear and I saw it on nine days, and sometimes several 

 were seen on the same date. The last came under our 

 notice on 4th October, the day we left the island. The 

 only previous records for the occurrence of this species 

 in Shetland are those of Saxby, who mentions, in his 

 delightful book, " The Birds of Shetland," that he met with 

 this species on three occasions. 



114. CHIFF-CHAFF, Phylloscopus ritfits. -The passage movements 



of this little Leaf-warbler very largely escape notice ; prob- 



