14 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



SKYLARK (Alauda arvensis). Is chiefly a bird of passage, but a 

 few visit the island during the winter, driven by cold from 

 elsewhere. 



Strange to say we only saw a single example, namely, an 

 immature bird on the i2th of September. The northern 

 migrants do not arrive until October, the 2nd of that month 

 being the earliest recorded date of their appearance, and the 

 passage southwards lasts until the end of November. The 

 return movement northwards in spring commences about the 

 middle of February, and is continued during March. It is 

 only occasionally recorded for April, the latest date being the 

 1 5th, in 1904, when it occurred at the lantern with Starlings, 

 Redwings, and Wheatears. 



SHORT-TOED LARK (Calendrella brachydactyla), This unlooked-for 

 visitor from the far south is believed to have appeared on the 

 evening of the igth of September. It was detected as a 

 stranger early the following day, its light colour and small size 

 attracting attention. Its note on rising on the wing, when 

 disturbed, resembled that of a Skylark. As before stated 

 ("Annals," 1904, p. 206) it proved to be a female, and is the 

 first recorded occurrence of this species for Scotland. 



PIED WAGTAIL (Motacilla lugubris). Mr. Begg assures me that he 

 has seen this species, but that it is an uncommon visitor. 



WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla #//>#). -This species is probably 

 common on migration in both spring and autumn. It was 

 certainly one of the most abundant species observed by us 

 from the day of our arrival, 6th September, to our departure 

 on the 22nd. During this period two distinct arrivals took 

 place, namely, on the night of the 8th, along with Meadow Pipits 

 and Wheatears, and again on the 1 1 th, when it appeared along 

 with the same species at 2.30 A.M., at which hour several 

 appeared at the lantern. The numbers dwindled after the 1 3th, 

 but a few were present down to the 23rd, as is testified to by 

 specimens received after our departure. 



WAGTAIL (Motacilla sp.\ The only bird that ran the gauntlet of 

 identification during our visit, was a short-tailed Yellow Wag- 

 tail. This bird appeared on the morning of the 2oth of 

 September, and for two days baffled all our attempts to solve 

 its identity. It was shy, wary, and restless in the extreme, 

 and never allowed us to approach sufficiently near to get a 

 satisfactory sight of it. 



MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis). This is another species which 

 occurs commonly on double passage. It was abundant during 

 the whole period covered by our visit ; and there were con- 



