THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLE 75 



On the spring passage it was not much observed, but 

 individuals were seen in March, April, and May on 

 their way northwards. The birds obtained at Fair Isle 

 all belonged to the Continental race, which is characterised 

 by having a much paler breast than the native British 

 bird. All these immigrants were remarkably wild. The 

 Redbreast has usually been considered a very uncommon 

 bird in the Shetlands. 



ARCTIC BLUETHROAT, Cyanecula suecica. This species, which 

 has hitherto been regarded as an extremely rare visitor to 

 Scotland, again appeared at Fair Isle in the autumn of 1906. 

 On 20th September and the following days no less than 

 twelve of these birds, adults of both sexes and young, were 

 seen, and it is certain that a number of others escaped 

 notice. Their chief haunts during their visit were the faces 

 of the great cliffs which flank the geos on the west side of 

 the island, where insect life was abundant owing to the 

 genial influence of the sun, to which they are exposed. In 

 such retreats as these it was most difficult to discover them. 

 Others frequented the cover afforded by the patches of potatoes 

 and bracken. These birds reminded us much of the Red- 

 breast in their actions and attitudes. Some of the adults still 

 retained their beautiful frontlets, while in others they were 

 partially hidden by the more sombre winter dress. 



117. REDSTART, Rutialla phwnicurus. Though not observed by 



us in the autumn of 1905, the Redstart proved to be quite 

 common on its southerly passage from the middle of 

 September to the end of that month in 1906, and stragglers 

 occurred down to late in October. It was almost as fre- 

 quent and abundant on the northerly passage in the second, 

 third, and fourth weeks of May. During their visits to Fair 

 Isle, these birds, like the last, were most abundant on the 

 gaunt precipitous faces of the geos, and much less frequent 

 on the stone walls and among the cover afforded by the 

 crofted portion of the island. 



1 1 8. WHINCHAT, Pratincola rubefm. -Th\s is another bird of 



double passage whose autumn southerly flight escaped notice 

 during our first visit. During May both males and females 

 were observed on their northward passage on eight different 

 days ; and in September we saw it also on eight occasions. 

 On some days small numbers were seen both in spring and 

 autumn, and the bird was probably fairly numerous. The 

 Whinchat has only been detected in Shetland on very few 

 occasions, and is accounted as a rare visitor to the group. 



119. STONECHAT, Pratincola rubicola. A bird of double passage, 



though certainly not numerous. In 1906 it appeared in 



